Dance With Me
by Cascaper
Summary: No, I am not dead, and a new chapter is UP! Set during the week leading up to Dem/Munk/etc.'s first Jellicle Ball, starting the day after "The Princess and the Tom-kit." Sorry I've been gone so long, but here's some more fun. Enjoy.
1. Choose Your Tom

Ch. 1: Choose Your Tom 

Demeter, Pussywillow and Gossamew sat together in a corner of the junkyard clearing, chatting excitedly. This coming Sunday night would be their first Jellicle Ball as full-grown queens. And every queen-to-be had to pick her partner for the evening…

"So don't you have a favorite yet, Pussy?" Demeter questioned.

"Why pick? I could have 'em all at once if I wanted." Pussywillow smirked.

"Too bad I already do, then," Bombalurina said, sliding into place beside the black and gold kit.

"Who says?" Pussy scowled, her golden eyes narrowing.

Instead of answering, Bomba lazily waved a white forepaw to the two tom-kits lurking somewhat obviously behind a trash can. Admetus and Alonzo, seeing they'd been caught, squeaked and scurried away.

The blue-gray princess rolled her eyes, a particular idiosyncrasy of hers that had become quite well known among the Jellicles at large. "Who cares about _those_ two, I know a pair far superior."

"And who would that be, exactly?" Cassandra, in that disconcerting way she had, suddenly materialized beside the little circle.

"Mistoffelees and Mungojerrie," Pussy replied instantly. Catching herself at this unintentional point-blank confession, she hastily added, "But like I said, I could have anyone."

Cassandra appeared singularly unimpressed (though this was hardly unusual). "Bombalurina makes the same claim."

"Of course," the scarlet kit agreed. Turning to her would-be rival, she added, "Besides, I've been here longer. You only showed up a couple of months back."

"So?" Pussywillow shrugged. "All that means is they're used to you. I'm new blood. Therefore, I'm the more interesting."

Cassandra gave a delicate cough, reasserting her role in the conversation. "So between the pair of you and Demeter here, you'll knock them all flat, is that it?"

"Yeah," the alluring pair said in unison, before turning to glare at each other.

"Then why even waste breath discussing who you want, if you can have any?"

"Who do _you _like best, Cassie?" Demeter asked without thinking, completely at random. She was a little flustered that the sleek Burmese even considered her competition, let alone against Bomba and Pussy.

Cassandra bristled slightly. "_Don't _call me Cassie." And with that, she stalked on her way.

"What was that about?" queried an arriving Jellylorum, who had seen the aloof Cassie's hasty exit. Though two years a queen already, she never minded talking to the princesses. They were so much fun…usually.

"Bomba and Pussy were arguing over who was more likely to have their choice of toms, Cassandra was questioning why they even needed to bother discussing it if their claims were true, and became offended when Demeter unthinkingly called her Cassie, which she apparently dislikes," said Gossamew all in one breath. She was good at summaries, but not so good at breaking them into separate sentences. Panting a little, she concluded, "So Cassandra just walked off in a huff."

"We were not _arguing_," the scarlet and blue-gray princesses muttered, each earning another mutual glare from the other. (Confused? It's really quite simple…)

"Nicely put as usual, Goss," Jelly commented.

"Thanks," Gossamew replied, still slightly out of breath.

"Cassandra never did tell us who she liked best," Demeter pointed out. "I asked her, but I guess the nickname put her off…"

"I vote Alonzo," Jellylorum said at once.

"Why?" asked Gossy, surprised at the older queen's easy certainty.

"Simple. He tries to flirt with her, and she doesn't brush him off instantly; plus, I've seen them actually having a conversation. It was so unusual I didn't even think to eavesdrop." Jelly's audience didn't offer another question on this, satisfied with her logic. "So, what about the rest of you queens? Any favorites?"

The princesses smiled. Jelly never condescended; her tone in this was simply conversational, not patronizing. Bomba was the first to answer the question. "Tugger's got my name written all over him," she responded confidently, causing Pussy's golden eyes to roll yet again.

"I don't know for sure who I like best yet… but Mistoffelees is pretty cute. When he's not blushing his head off, that is," the blue-gray kit said. Secretly, she thought the blushing made him cute, but she wasn't about to admit that in front of Bombalurina. "Then again, that Mungojerrie has a pretty devilish smile…"

"Too young for a devil- impish, more like," Bomba muttered.

"I heard that!" Pussy told her. "Mungo's every bit the devil your precious Tugger is. _And _he doesn't have that ridiculous mane."

"Wha' abou' my brothah?" Rumpleteazer asked, scampering up at the mention of her twin's name.

"Nothing," Pussywillow said carelessly.

"She wants him to be her escort to the Ball," Demeter informed Rumple.

"I never said that," Puss said a little too quickly.

"Never mind," Jelly cut in, before a smirking Bomba could make any comment. "We're talking about who's going with whom to the Ball on Sunday, Rumple; who do you want to go with?"

"No oidea," Rumple said cheerfully. "Bu' Oi've go' all week, there's toime ta pick yet."

"True," the yellow calico conceded. "Gossamew, Demeter, what about you two?"

"I'd like to ask Mistoffelees," Goss said eagerly. "He dances better than any of the others, and he's so…so…" The auburn kit struggled for a word. "Like when I pull off a really good twirl- that's it. Graceful. And polite. I love that."

"Everything's a dance move with you," Pussy observed.

"Well, what else is expressive enough?" This earned another eye-roll.

Meanwhile, Demeter said nothing, only blushed profusely.

"Dem wants to go with Munkustrap," Bomba casually announced.

"Bomb!" Demy squealed in embarrassment.

"Well, after what happened yesterday, who else would you go with? Which reminds me, he was looking for you this morning," the scarlet kit told her friend.

The black and gold flew to her feet, paw over her mouth. "My Heaviside, I completely forgot!" She scurried off, her face resembling the brightest of new copper. How could she have neglected to keep the appointment she'd fallen asleep fantasizing about only last night?

As Demeter disappeared across the yard, Rosemarine came up to the group. She was a kit of unusual appearance- reddish-pink patches tipped her ears and tail (a rather large one even lay right on the top of her head), with bands of the same around each paw. Around these interesting markings (which had given her her name) lay a tawny ground with little spots of a deep coffee color; a coffee streak went down her back and straight out to the reddish end of her tail. "Have any of you seen Sableslink?" she asked, deep blue eyes glancing about for her brother as she spoke.

"No we haven't, but come on Rosie, sit down!" Gossamew's habitual energy now spilled over, enthusiastic at the arrival of her best friend. "We're all choosing who we want to go to the Ball with. Bombalurina wants to ask Tugger, Pussywillow wants Mungojerrie-"

"I never _said_ that, and it's _Pussy_," the blue-gray princess interrupted, now thoroughly miffed.

"-Rumpleteazer doesn't know yet, and Demeter's going with Munkustrap," Goss finished, hardly deterred.

"What about you, Gossy?" Rosemarine asked quietly.

"I…um…I'm not sure either. Misto maybe. You?"

Rose was silent.

"Rose?" Rumpleteazer waved a paw in front of the blue eyes. "'Ello? 'Oo d'you wanna go with?"

The reddish-pink patch on the top of Rose's head ruffled a little as she shook her head. "He's already taken, apparently," she said. "And I haven't a second favorite."

"Already taken?" Bomba raised an eyebrow.

"Who is it, Rosie?" Pussy wanted to know.

Rosemarine seemed to shrink inside herself, not wanting to answer. "It's a secret." Her tail switched nervously back and forth, the rosy tip blurring slightly in motion.

"C'mon Rosie, tell us," Rumple pleaded. "Iss okay, we won' tell."

But Jellylorum could see that the reticent little princess would almost rather die than tell her secret. "Never mind, Rosemarine, you don't have to tell," she said gently.

Rose rubbed a shoulder against the older queen gratefully. "Thanks Jelly. I better go find Sable." She hurried off, reddish-pink tail tip bobbing lightly.

"Well, that was interesting," said a bemused Bombalurina. "Why wouldn't she tell us which tom?"

"She's always been a bit shy," Gossamew reminded the group.

"You're her best friend, Mew-Mew, hasn't she told you?" asked Pussywillow.

The auburn princess frowned a moment, trying to remember. "No, actually," she replied in surprise. Before the others could ask why, she hurriedly changed the subject. "So what's everyone doing for a performance piece?"

"Daddy wants me to be in one of his plays…again," Jelly sighed.

"_Again?_" Rumpleteazer echoed.

"Yup."

"What is it this time?" Bomba queried.

"A little scene from that Arthurian show he was in last summer…"

"'The Tabby Knight?'" Teazer was suddenly very excited. "Tha' one's cool! An' so romantic!"

"Not when your dad is the Knight and you have to be the Lady Angelina." The yellow calico squirmed, uncomfortable at the thought.

"You'll be awesome, Jelly, don't worry," Goss told her.

"Demy and I are going to do this wicked sexy song," Bomba announced "Heard it on my humans' music player thingy the other day- it's called 'Fever' and it's got the most awesome tune…" She hummed a few bars.

"Ooh." Despite herself, Pussy was intrigued, though she tried not to show it. "Who's it by?"

"Some human queen with a funny name-" Bomb's brow furrowed as she tried to sound it out. "Beggy…no, is it Deggy? –Peggy, that's it. Peggy Lee."

"How's it go?" Teazer inquired.

"Hang on, let me think of it…"

"That ought to take a while," Pussy muttered.

Bomba ignored her. "Got it." She took a breath and began snapping her fingers to the beat in her head.

"_Never know how much I love you, /Never know how much I care. /When you put your arms around me, /I get a fever that's so hard to bear. /You give me fever /When you kiss me, /Fever when you hold me tight. /Fever- /in the mornin', /And fever all through the night." _

"Is that it?" asked Jelly as the scarlet kit stopped singing.

"No, there's more, that's just the first bit. Actually, that's Demy's part- we're each singing a set of verses and we'll end together. But I don't want to give it _all_ away."

"What does she mean, fevah?" Teazer was confused. "He makes her sick?"

"No, no," Bomba laughed. "It's more like…" She swiveled her hips. "Like what happens to me when Tugger's around." Her smile grew dreamy.

"Which is what?"

"Well it's a sort of weird heat down…" The scarlet hips swiveled again. "…there, like-"

"Bomba!" Jelly cut in warningly. "That's enough of that."

"Oi still don' get it," Teazer complained.

"Never mind," Jellylorum said firmly.

_A/N: Voila, my OC's make their debuts! The girls do, that is. I know the structure's a bit repetetive, and that we probably didn't need the detailed description of Rosie, but other than that how was it? (I love me some detail, anyway.) And cookies to anyone who guesses which tom Rose has her eye on... _


	2. Munkustrap and Demeter

Chapter 2: Munkustrap and Demeter 

"So then the chap tells me they're out of shrimp. _Out_ of _shrimp_. At the Stage and Screen! I told him then and I'm telling you now, that's quite simply impossible."

"Indeed." Jennyanydots fought the urge to yawn. Bustopher Jones' endless story about last Saturday's "culinary catastrophe" was dull to say the least, but the Gumbie Cat had always been taught never to yawn in polite conversation, no matter how tired she was. (And she was thoroughly exhausted. Tiny Pouncival had squalled for hours last night, finally falling asleep about three a.m. That left precious little sleeping time for Jenny herself, needless to say.)

"Jenny!" came a breathless voice. The marmalade queen turned to see Demeter skid to a stop before her. _Thank the Heaviside for timely interruptions. _

"One moment," Jenny told the miffed Bustopher. Ignoring his indignant huff, she returned her attention to the now-panting Demeter. "Hello dear, what's the rush?"

"SaididehangwiMunkuwhereis'e?"

"What was that? No, wait a moment," Jenny cautioned, as the little black-and-gold looked about to hyperventilate with the effort of explaining and breathing at the same time. "Catch your breath and then tell me again." She waited as Dem took great gulps of air.

When she was breathing normally at last, Demeter tried again. "I said I'd hang out with Munku today," she began, "but I almost forgot till Bomba reminded me, and now I can't find him. Have you seen him anywhere?"

"Well that would explain why he was so nervous this morning," Jenny remarked. "Sableslink finally convinced him to go play, I think. Try that pile of boxes behind-"

Dem's eyes lit up. "The rag and crate jungle! Of course!" She gave the Gumbie Cat a quick hug. "Thanks so much, Jenny!"

"You're welcome, dear." A little smile tugged at Jen's mouth as she watched Demeter sprint off again. "They grow up so fast," she said fondly to Bustopher, who frowned.

"Yes, yes," he said indifferently. Sometimes this queen's motherly moments could be annoying. Especially when they interrupted his conversations. "Now as I was saying, I told the chap it was simply impossible…"

Behind Deuteronomy's tire lay a jumble of crates, boxes and worn rags and packing of every kind. To the kittens, this was known as the rag and crate jungle- a place which provided ample space for exploration, hiding places, getting splinters and all sorts of other adventures. In the mid-morning sun, two tom-kits crawled in and out of this playground, for no apparent reason other than idle amusement.

"Munku!" a girlish voice called. "Are you here?"

Sableslink poked his head over the top of the cardboard box he was inspecting at the sound of the voice and accompanying running footsteps. A black and gold kit was coming over the top of the tire. "Hey Munku," he shouted to the silver tabby, who was sniffing in a nearby crate. "Your printheth approacheth."

"What?" Munkustrap peered out of the crate, which- according to its faded stamp- had once held NORRINGTON'S FINEST NAVEL ORANGES.

"Look!" Sable pointed.

"Oh fleas," the silver tabby gasped as he followed the direction of his friend's paw. Quickly, he ducked out of sight to brush his head fur into better shape- it felt about a foot too big for his head. Why did those boxes have to make everything so messy! Unbeknownst to the nervous little tom, when he popped up again he looked worse rather than better.

Seeing the object of her search, Demeter braked hard on a clump of what had once been dish towels. "Munku, I'm so sorry I forgot, I don't know what I was thinking, thank Heaviside Bomba reminded me…"

"Thlow down, Demy," Sableslink said, raising a paw to halt her. "It'th okay. At leatht you're here now, right Munku?"

"Right." Munku nodded somewhat frenetically, which only messed up his head fur even more. Demeter couldn't help but giggle as she noticed a tuft of black and white fur sticking straight up to make it appear as though the little tom had three ears.

Puzzled by the giggle, Munkustrap turned with a questioning look to Sable, who smoothed back the fur between his own ears pointedly. Licking a paw, Munk copied the gesture quickly and turned back to Dem, who was making a truly valiant effort not to laugh outright now. Seeing toms groom was funny, it was.

"So w-what are you guys doing?" she asked, stammering a bit with the difficulty of keeping down any laughter.

"Well, we were jutht exthploring," Sable told her, "but we could play hide and theek if you want."

"Sure," Demeter said eagerly, the laughter dying in her throat at this exciting prospect. "Who'll be It first?"

"Um…" Munku swallowed. "Do- would you like to be It, Dem?"

"Okay!" she beamed.

At the sight of his crush's smile, Munkustrap's ridiculous nervousness died down a bit. Honestly, he'd been just fine yesterday when she fell into his lap. His _lap_, for Heaviside's sakes. Surely, if there were a time to be nervous, it should've been then. But no, he had to get flustered _now,_ when their time together was arranged. _Maybe cause last time was unexpected? _He shook his head to clear it. _Come on Munku, just focus on the game. Look, she's counting down right now. _

Sure enough, the black and gold princess had her paws firmly over her eyes and had begun counting aloud. "One, two, three…"

"Come on Munk, we've only got twenty thecondth!" Sableslink clambered over the top of the crate behind him and, true to his name, slunk down into the scrambled pile. Hurriedly, his tabby friend followed suit, though the latter opted instead to simply crouch in between two large boxes in case that odd tuft decided to stand up again between his ears.

"…eighteen, nineteen, twenty!" Dem finished, taking her paws off her eyes. "Here I come, guys!" Humming absently to herself, she mounted the nearest box and from there began climbing over the pile, peering into any cracks and all crates with their open ends handy. "_Sun lights up the daytime, /Moon lights up the night. /I light up when you call my name, /And you know I'm gonna treat you right. /You give me fever_ _/When you kiss me, /Fever when you hold me tight. /Fever- /in the mornin', /And fever all through the night…_"

Munku's ears pricked up as he caught the sound of Demeter's voice. Was that- was she singing? Yes, it was, and with nary a flat note. He hadn't known she could do that so well. As he registered the words, however, his face flushed a little. _What in the Heaviside is that song? _

"Bet Bomba taught her that one," he heard Sable mutter somewhere in the pile behind him. At this, Demeter's singing abruptly stopped.

"Was that you, Sable?" Noticing a kit-sized gap in the pile, she wiggled down inside to discover the tawny tom, his coffee streak and spots not enough to hide him from the bright daylight that managed to filter through the many boxes. Triumphantly, Dem touched his shoulder. "Found you, you're It! Come on, let's go find Munku." She began wiggling back up into the open, and waited for the tom-kit to emerge. When he did, the pair set off looking over the "jungle" as a team.

That is, they were a team, until-

"_There _you are, Sable! I've been looking for you all morning." Rosemarine had appeared on the top of the tire. She smiled at the little kit sitting beside her brother. "Hey. Brothers are a pain, eh?" Then she noticed just who the princess was. "…Oh. Hi Demeter."

Slightly confused by Rose's double take toward her, Demy decided to ignore it. "Hi Rose. We're playing hide and seek, and I just found Sable. Still looking for Munku though…"

At the mention of Munkustrap, Rosie grew positively tense. "Sableslink, come on. I wanna talk to you."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Sable said. He sighed and headed over to join Rose. "Thithterth…" he muttered.

"See ya Sable, Rose!" Dem called, waving.

Sable waved back, but his sister did not. She simply grabbed his paw and yanked him out of sight.

"What was that about?" Demeter asked herself, puzzled. She shrugged and went back to combing the pile. "Munku…where are you?" she called playfully.

From his spot in between the two large boxes, Munkustrap could hear her paw-steps coming closer. "Catnip," he breathed, and tried to shrink lower.

But this was no use, for a familiar pale-gold face suddenly peered into his hiding space. The delighted Demy jumped down and poked his shoulder. "You're It!" she chirped.

"What about Sableslink?" the tabby asked, confused.

"Sable had to leave- his sister wanted to talk to 'im," Dem explained. "Now come on, you gotta go count."

"…Okay." Munku followed a very bouncy Demeter out of the hiding spot and into the open. At her urging, he covered his eyes and began to count off. "One, two, three…"

Grinning, Demeter bounded over the pile and settled on a spot under what had once been a crate of _Valerie's Ladies' Soap_, balanced between two other boxes. _Bet he'll take a while finding me here_, she thought to herself.

But this was just not the morning for a nice undisturbed game. As Dem's tail swished back and forth in anticipation, the ill-balanced former soap crate fell off its perch right down over her, trapping the surprised princess between it and the rest of the pile all round.

"…fourteen, fifteen, six-"

"Munku!" came a muffled, panicked cry.

The silver tabby uncovered his eyes, frowning. "Demeter?" he called.

"Over here!"

Munk followed her cries and discovered the soap crate. "What happened? Are you in there?"

"Yes!" Demeter was almost sobbing. "I was hiding and this thing just fell down. I think it might've been because my tail hit the boxes it was on…"

"I'll get it off, Demeter, don't worry," the little tom told her, fighting down his own panic. He looked all around the rogue crate, mind racing. "Here- I'll push the top from out here, and you push the bottom edge, and maybe we can turn it over." He got above and behind the box that imprisoned Dem. "Ready?"

"Ready," the frightened black-and-gold called.

"On three. One, two, three!" Munkustrap pushed as hard as he could, and inside, Demeter did the same. The crate shifted, but nothing else really happened. "Again! One, two, three!" This time it came forward a bit more. Encouraged, Munk opened his mouth to call the countdown again, but Dem beat him to it.

"One, two, three!" came her loudest shout, and this time both kits pushed harder than ever. With a wooden crash, the crate turned over and rolled down the pile, leaving a shaken and tired princess and tom where it had been.

"Are you okay?" Munku rushed to the little black-and-gold's side.

"Yeah." Dem managed a smile. "How is it you always save me?"

"No idea. Just a talent, I guess." The silver tabby returned her smile. "How is it you always need saving?" he couldn't help quipping.

"Just a talent, I guess," she shot back with a grin, and they both laughed. "Well," Demy continued, "enough rescuing for one morning. Tag!" She touched his paw and was off like a shot.

"Come back!" Munku yelled, following with a grin of his own.

"Not till you catch meee…" And off across the junkyard they went, while the sun shone down on high.


	3. Of Insecurities and Insistence

Chapter 3: Of Insecurities and Insistence

"What'th the matter with you, Mari?" The tawny tom-kit was beginning to be annoyed. His sister had, after all, dragged him away point-blank from a perfectly good game of hide and seek.

"Nothing. Now, have you talked to Jenny about the singing yet?" Rose asked, apparently deciding to ignore the absurdity of her recent actions.

"Mari, we've been through thith. I am _not _joining the choir."

"But Sable, everyone sings at the Ball! It's tradition!"

"_Tradition…tradition!_" Sable hummed without thinking, then caught himself and slapped a paw over his mouth.

"See, there you go," Rose told him. "You have a good voice, Sable, and you know it. The ensemble will be thrilled to have you."

"They don't _need_ me! I'd meth up all the lyricth with thith thing." Sable waved his arms, frantic to emphasize this point. "Jutht lithen to me!"

"That's why it's singing," Rosemarine countered. "Held-out notes make this 'thing,' as you put it, less obvious. And anyway, I've found someone who can help you get rid of this lisp you hate so much."

Sableslink sighed. "You've told me that before, Rothe."

"I know, but this time I'm serious!" She seized his shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. "This time, with this princess' help- we'll get rid of it, Sable. We will. She will, that is." Releasing him, she closed her eyes for a moment or two, then opened them again.

"And that wath what now?"

"Just sit down, you'll see."

In about three minutes, Rose stood up again. "She's here."

"Who'th here?"

"Look." Rose gestured a few feet before them. Coming in the siblings' direction was none other than the mysterious, aloof, unmistakable…

Sable blanched beneath his fur. "Oh no. Mari, you _know_ I can't talk in front of her!"

But his sister just wasn't having any mercy today. "Hello, Tantomile, thanks for coming."

Tanto inclined her head in greeting. "Hello Rosemarine." She noticed the nerve-ridden tom beside Rose. "Your brother, I presume?"

"Yes." Rosie elbowed him.

"H-hi, Tanto." From bright white, Sableslink went completely red. His face now resembled any one of the rosy patches on his sister's coat.

"You said he had a speech problem?" Tantomile queried.

"Notice the conspicuous lack of s's in his sentences. He has a lisp, Tanto, and it's driving him crazy. Me too, actually, because he won't join the choir since he's so embarrassed about it. Can you help him at all?"

"I believe so." The black-and-white calico settled herself beside Sable, who almost fainted at such proximity to this of all princesses. "But if you wouldn't mind, I think we would work better alone."

"Of course, sure." Rosemarine stood. "Call me when you're done for today, all right?"

"Certainly." And with this reassurance the tawny princess moved off. She had to go find Jenny, anyway. She was already pretty late for kitten-watching duty…

Tantomile turned to her new pupil. "Now…Sableslink is it?"

"Mm-hmm."

"That isn't a word," she reproached him quietly. "Go on, say 'yes.'"

Sable squirmed, but eventually gave in under the princess's stern gaze. "Yeth."

"No, the word is _yes . _Now try it again."

"Yeth."

"Okay, just the letter then. _Ess. _Say it."

"Eth…" At Tanto's urging he repeated it eight more times. Then, on the ninth repetition… "Ess."

"Very good." For the first time since the start of the lesson, the calico actually smiled at him. "That'll do for today."

"Really?" Sableslink was suddenly unsure. How long would this last?

"Yes, really. Just keep practicing." Tantomile stood and closed her eyes a moment or two, presumably calling Rosemarine back. Then she looked at him again, adding, "Your sister should be back shortly. I will see you tomorrow." She started to walk off, but turned once more to leave a final note: "And no, this isn't a dream." With that, the black/white calico departed in full.

"Wow…" The tawny little tom could hardly believe what had just happened. A dreamy smile crept over his face as he watched his new tutor retreat. The fact that she had just literally read his mind only made her more amazing in his eyes. Nothing could wreck this moment- until-

"I know _that _look," said a smug voice from behind him. And then, mocking, "Thomeone'th got a crush."

Sable whirled. "Shut up Tugger," he snapped, as the tom with the unmistakable mane and leopard-spotted chest came swaggering down from behind a particular pile of junk topped with a teetering wooden chair. No doubt he had been lurking there the entire time Tanto had been coaching Sable on the letter 'S'.

"Getting speech lessons from the princess you like…now that's a new method." Rum Tum Tugger had a particularly wicked smirk on his face. "Maybe I should develop a lithp of my own, hmm?"

An equally vicious scowl now dominated the tom-kit's blue eyes. "I said shut UP!"

It was at this point that Rosemarine arrived. Seeing that her brother's eyebrows were almost meeting in the middle and Tugger was looking somewhere between his usual arrogance and actual shock, she knew this could not be good. "What's going on here?"

Instantly Rum Tum's conflicting emotions evaporated. A female had entered his immediate vicinity. Automatically, his smile grew seductive. "Hey, Rosie."

"'Hey' nothing," Rose retorted. "If you're bothering my brother-"

"Rothe, I can handle it." Sable had begun the sentence with confidence, but as soon as his traitor tongue mangled the 'S' he began to wilt again.

"So much for those lessons, hmm, _Thable_?" Tugger snickered. "You're right back to hiding behind your 'thithter.'"

"I don't need to hide behind anyone," Sable muttered, in a voice that now lacked any conviction.

The Maine coon simply laughed again and swaggered off. Rose stuck out her tongue at his retreating tail, held perfectly perpendicular, then turned to her now deflated brother. "Sabe, come on. You know better than to listen to a jerk like him."

"But he's right," the little tom-kit murmured. "I can't thay words with eth to save my life…"

"Hold on." Rose's ears pricked up. "Say the word 'save' again."

"What?"

"Just do it!"

"Save," Sable repeated. Then his eyes grew wide. "Holy catnip, it worked! I thaid-" At the missed 's,' he drooped once more.

"No, you did say it! Tanto's helping you!" Rosemarine's eyes danced and a gleeful smile spread over her face. "See, I told you!"

Her brother sighed. "Were you even listening to-"

"Ha-HA! You did it again!"

Sableslink considered this and realized she was right. "I…I did, didn't I?"

"Yep!" A giddy giggle escaped Rose's delighted lips.

"Rosemarine?" A certain marmalade queen's voice was suddenly heard calling for the tawny princess, who turned at the sound of her name. "Rose?"

The giddiness slid off Rosie's face in an instant. "Oh catnip. I have to go. I kinda ditched kitten duty when Tanto called me back…" She hugged her brother quickly. "Keep practicing, Sabe!" And with that she was off, calling, "Coming Jenny!"

* * *

Across the junkyard, beneath the TSE1, Tantomile sat lost in thought. This in itself was not unusual, except that she normally meditated on, well, more mature things than the current subject that was now dominating her mind. _That Sableslink, _she mused. _There is something about him. _She just wasn't sure what. Perhaps it was his eyes, huge, trusting and blue as the heavens at dusk.

But why should his eyes make their owner fill Tanto's head? No, it couldn't be that. Perhaps it was his new role as her student of sorts. She had read in a psychology book once (there was a veritable library in a well-insulated trunk near the northern edge of the junkyard) about teacher-student complexes. That could well be her problem.

The problem with this theory was that it was usually the student who developed romantic feelings for his teacher, not the other way around…

_Wait just one moment, _the black and white calico thought, frowning. _Did I just reason that I was- am- having romantic feelings about Sableslink? _

_Yes, sister mine, you did. _The mental voice was not hers. Tantomile turned to see her twin brother padding his way over to her. "Coricopat," she greeted him briefly.

"Tantomile," he responded in kind. The twins proceeded to sit side by side as they often did, communicating via telepathy in perfect harmony.

_So, this Sableslink, _Coricopat began. _How long have you been harboring these feelings you were just contemplating? _

If they had been talking the way the other kits did- if they were more like the others, in general- Tantomile would most likely have stammered, avoided her twin's eyes, refused to tell. But the siblings knew each other's thoughts, and so avoidance of the issue was useless. _Since last week, actually, _she confessed. _But I do not know why. _

_Well, our first Ball _is_ approaching. At this stage of development, attraction to one's peers of the opposite gender is normal, _Cori pointed out matter-of-factly. _And this paramour of yours- _

_He is not yet my paramour, brother. _

_True, _the calico tom-kit conceded. _But my point was that he is fairly sensitive. And not bad-looking either. You could do worse. _

_And just what do you mean by that? _

Coricopat grinned. Well, for him, it was a grin. On anyone else it would be a pretty small smile. _Aha, defensiveness. You are more attached to him than I had thought. _

_As are you to his sister Rosemarine, _Tantomile countered. She felt her brother tense beside her at this.

_…Touché. _

* * *

A/N: Phew. I thought my own pre-planned OC personalities were going to run away from me, but they came back. Good little brainchildren.

On a separate note, this seems to be my least-reviewed story. Come on guys, this is what reviews are for: tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it. Please? I would love some constructive criticism. Thank Heaviside _one _of you is giving me reviewness. Queen-Em gets cookies.

Queen-Em: Yes, I realize Tugger's being a little harsh. But I'll make him apologize. Or technically, someone else will. I just need to figure out who I'll use as my puppet for that purpose...


	4. Uncomfortable Conversations

Ch. 4: Uncomfortable Conversations

Oopsacat was distracted. The little blue-gray kit hadn't seen his cousin Pussywillow for hours, and it would soon be time for lunch at their human's house. And besides, he kind of needed to ask her a question.

Crossing the 'yard absentmindedly, Oopsa was therefore unprepared for anything unusual. Like the fact that he was being stalked with perfectly leonine stealth.

Slowly the creamy tom-kit crept closer to his prey. Closer and closer and-

"Gotcha Oops!" crowed Parfax, springing out of nowhere and pinning his best friend to the dirt, with an "oof" from the latter. "How was that, eh?"

"It's a fine pounce," Oopsa coughed, short of breath. "But Par, would you let me up?"

"Oh," Par said sheepishly, getting off the blue-gray's back. "Sorry."

"S'okay," Oopsacat told him with a grudging smile. "Save it for the mice next time, though. 'Kay?"

"Mm-hmm." Parfax joined his friend as he continued to wander. After a few silent minutes, during which he could not fail to notice Oopsa's constant looking around, the former asked, "So where are we going?"

"I'm trying to find Pussy," answered Oopsa. "I saw her gossiping away earlier this morning, on my way to catch breakfast. But when I came back, the princesses' little circle had broken up. So I've been asking around, but no one knows where she went." He paused. "_You_ don't know, do you?"

"Nope."

Oopsa sighed. "That's what I thought."

"Why do you need to find her, anyway?"

"Oh…um…I wondered who she's going to ask to the Ball." This was a lie, and both little toms knew it.

"Come on Oops.' What's the _real_ reason?"

For the second time in three minutes, the blue-gray kit sighed. "I wanted her to help me out with…ah…"

"Spit it out." Parfax was getting impatient.

"With- I wanted her to give me some advice on how to ask someone out. I don't want to sound stupid." The words came in a rush as Oopsacat's ears flattened in embarrassment.

Par couldn't help smiling. "Sure the grandeur game wouldn't help?" The said game was a particular invention of the creamy kit's, learned from the little human toms he used to live with before sheer incompetence and their roughness forced the parents to put Par out of their house. He now put on a posh voice reminiscent of Bustopher Jones. "I say, my dear, would it be terribly much trouble to allow me to escort you to Sunday's Jellicle Ball?"

"I don't think Rumpleteazer would take me seriously if I used that voice…"

"Ah, so it's Rumple is it?" The pale tom's smile grew to a grin, and his brown eyes sparkled.

Oopsa's ears went, if possible, even lower, and he tripped a moment later…over his own feet. At this, Parfax had to laugh outright. As usual, his friend had gone end over end and landed upside down. Oopsacat, as his name implied, could be rather accident-prone.

So unlike any other tom-kit, Oopsa wasn't embarrassed at this gaffe, for he'd made far too many for such things to be much of an issue. Within moments, he was laughing too. "Dang," he chuckled. "I almost went a whole morning without having one pratfall. I was _that _close to setting a record."

"I think you already had a record for how long you could go without making a fool of yourself," Par joked between guffaws. "What was it…half an hour?"

"If that's the case I definitely did make a new one," his friend returned, yellow eyes tearing with mirth. "It's been what, two hours? No, two and a half."

"Yeah." The pair continued to laugh, until suddenly-

"Hey guys! _Shh!_" It was Rosemarine, speaking in a stage whisper as she poked her head out of Jennyanydots' ward. "The kittens are sleeping!"

"Sorry," the two tom-kits stage-whispered back, hastily quelling their laughter.

Rose nodded her thanks and ducked back inside. Oopsacat and Parfax looked at each other.

"To the dryer?"

Par nodded. "To the dryer."

* * *

Back in Jenny's ward, Rosie tiptoed away from the door and back to the marmalade queen, who sat just under the window holding two tiny kits: Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, one in each arm. They weren't twins, but might just as well have been, for they both had stripes and splotches of brown in odd places on a white base, and a patch- or in Tumble's case, a sort of ring- around only one of their eyes: Pounce's patch round his right eye, and Tumble's ring round his left. An adorable pair, yes, but more so when they were asleep.

"Did they wake up?" the blue-eyed princess whispered, resuming her seat beside the Gumbie Cat.

"Shifted a little, but they're still out, so the nap wasn't interrupted," Jenny replied, whispering as well. "Here, take Pounci. He missed you."

_Aww, _Rose thought affectionately as she took the little kit carefully from Jenny, cradling him gently, careful to support his head. He was so small, so fragile. _If I dropped him- Bast forbid- he might just shatter into a million pieces. _

_But I won't- I can't. This little guy's going to grow up and be one sweet bundle of energy, _the tawny princess continued her mental monologue. _He moves so fast when he's awake- they both do. Just wait'll they get to be old enough for their first Ball. Any princess would want to go with 'em, I'm sure…_

And of course, thinking about the Ball reminded Rose that as of today, she had six days left of her own kittenhood. Six days until she would be a queen in her own right. Six days to find a partner to go in with. To dance with…to dance _that dance _with. Oh joy. Rose's tail switched gradually faster and faster as she felt herself getting nervous.

Because there was only one tom she wanted to be her partner in _that dance_.

And he was already taken.

Rose was at a complete loss over this obstacle. Gossamew, she recalled, had just calmly finished up her summary of who'd go with whom without knowing how horrible that last neat phrase was. Oh, Rosie knew that one didn't have to dance the Mating Dance, but neither did she want to be the only new queen without a partner.

But then again, what did that title mean? Was the dance only a promise, or did it mean that at the end you had to…to…The little princess shuddered, almost forgetting that she held little Pouncival till he made a little dissatisfied noise in his sleep and wriggled a bit. For a moment she was distracted by re-settling him in her arms. However, once that was done she went right back to worrying. "Jenny?" she blurted suddenly, wincing as she realized she'd forgotten to whisper.

"Shh!" the Gumbie Cat scolded much more quietly. A few moments passed in silence as she too re-settled her young charge. Having completed this task, she continued in the necessary whisper, "All right now, what is it dear?"

Reminding herself to keep her voice down this time, Rosemarine took a breath. "When we do the…the Mating Dance…" She faltered.

"Yes?" Jenny was ever patient.

"Do I have to- to- What do I do?" Rose's whisper became perilously close to a whimper. "I don't even know how it goes."

The marmalade queen grew sympathetic at Rosie's obvious worry. "It doesn't have set steps, Rose. The Mating Dance is a mystery no Jellicle has ever been able to understand. We don't know how, but it just comes to us. The music is the only sure thing. Other than that, it's all you- you and your partner." She shifted to look into the princess' agitated blue eyes. "You'll know how to dance with him, whoever he is."

"Jenny-" Rose's panic was still going strong. "That's the thing. I don't even have a partner."

"Well it shouldn't be too hard to find one." The Gumbie Cat smiled encouragingly. "Who do you want to ask?"

Oh not this again. "I can't, Jen, I can't ask him. Someone else already has."

"Who is it?"

"It's…it's…" Rose cradled little Pouncival closer. _Give me strength from this little one's innocence. _She had no idea where that had come from, but at this point she couldn't have cared less. "Don't tell any of the others. Okay? You promise?"

"Absolutely."

Rosemarine swallowed and in an almost inaudible tone, barely managed to squeak, "Munkustrap." When Jenny didn't reply, she went on, "Demeter already asked him. And I know there are other toms, but oh Jenny, I can't imagine dancing with anyone but him. He's the only one I trust to-" She broke off.

"To what, Rosie?"

This time the tawny princess couldn't even look. Squeezing her eyes shut, she admitted, "That was my other question. At the end, do we have to…um…do that?"

"Do…what?" Jenny frowned a moment, then suddenly understood. She laughed quietly but hard, shaking so much that Tumblebrutus in her arms jerked awake and began to whine. This naturally set off his brother, and soon both kits were fully roused in bad tempers. The queen's laughter tapered off in the face of their unhappiness. "Oh dear. Well, they slept a little overtime anyway."

After some milk for a bit of lunch, queen and princess set their young charges loose on the floor to crawl around. Once the pair resumed their seats, continuing to keep a watchful eye on the little ones, Rose continued. "Well, even if we don't have to…you know, I still want to know how."

"How what?"

"How it happens."

It was the Gumbie Cat's turn to squirm.

"Just _tell _me, Jenny," Rosie begged. "Don't try to soften it, just tell." No response. "Please? It would make me feel better if I knew. Medically, you understand. Just the facts." Still nothing. "_Please! _Pounci and Tumble are too little to understand what we're saying anyway. And I don't want a garbled version from anyone else." Her voice grew softer. "Just this once, and I'll never ask you again."

Jennyanydots sighed. "I suppose you have a right to know…"

"Oh phew, thank you."

"But I'm only going to tell you once, so when I do, listen carefully." The marmalade queen stood and moved to a small cabinet made of an old dishcloth laid over a crate stood on its side against the wall. Folding the cloth onto the top of the crate, she extracted a book and brought it back to her seat beside Rose, quickly flipping to the right page. "Okay. Now…"

An hour of questions and answers later, Rosemarine felt surprisingly calm. Facts always made her feel better about the previously unknown. "So that's it?"

"That's it."

"Well, all right then." The tawny princess gave Jenny a smile of relief and gratitude. "Can I go get lunch now?"

"Of course dear. You've already done extra time with our little ones here, besides." Jenny hugged her young trainee. "You'll be all right, Rosie- you'll find someone. Even if it isn't you-know-who."

"Bye Jen." Rose went to the kits on the floor. "Bye-bye Pounci, bye-bye Tumble." After giving each a kiss on the head, the much calmer princess left to seek lunch and perhaps her brother. _And who knows, maybe I will find someone to ask to the Ball. _

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this up; I'm still finding my way around this site, and I was unsure if removing a document meant it disappeared completely. (Yes, go on, laugh at my noob-ness.) But having ascertained that removed documents do not disappear once submitted as stories/chapters, I am now quite at ease. Didn't mean to make you wait so long, Queen-Em! Hope you enjoy. And spread the word, would you?


	5. O, Frustration

Tired out from their long game of tag, a tabby tom-kit and gold/black princess had flopped down in the shade under Deuteronomy's tire. In fact, the little princess was almost asleep in the lovely coolness. Only the excitement of being with her one true crush kept her from just taking a nap right there and then. _I wonder if he'd really go to the Ball with me?_ she thought. _Bomba's right- I don't think I could go with anyone else. _

And unbeknownst to Demy, her companion felt the same way. Being the cautious over-thinker he was, however, Munku held back from bringing up the fateful subject out of sheer loss of nerve. "You awake, Dem?" he asked aloud, noticing her drowsy state.

"Hmm? Oh." Demeter sat up a little in an effort not to fall completely asleep. "Yeah, I'm up. Just tired."

"Maybe we shouldn't have gone quite so fast," Munkustrap commented with a little laugh. "It's like you've run off all your energy."

"And you're not fazed at all?"

Caught in the middle of a yawn, the silver tabby had to concede her point. "Well yes, but I'm not on the point of passing out," he returned, "like someone else I know."

Passing the tire unknown to either of the kits who sheltered beneath it, a tawny princess froze at the sound of two familiar voices. The rat she was stalking took advantage of its enemy's distraction to scuttle away, but she didn't even notice. _Gone so fast? What does that mean?_ Rosemarine almost screamed in her thoughts. With great care she inched closer, the better to hear.

"With such a quick burn-out rate," continued the voice that could only be Munkustrap's, "what will you ever do at the Ball on Sunday?"

The blush was audible in his companion's voice as _she _replied, "If you mean dancing, I think the Jellicle Moon has something to do with our energy." There was a pause. "Otherwise, how does Tugger stay up after his song? According to Jelly it's pretty wild…"

"It is. I've seen him practicing." Munku's tone had grown grim. "His moves are just unbelievably obnoxious. Trust me."

"Jelly didn't seem to think so." A giggle followed this statement. Rose fought not to hiss. _Fleas, what air-headedness. What does he see in her? _

An exasperated sigh was heard, and the tabby's voice replied, "Sadly, most of the queens seem to feel that way about him." He put on a high voice. "'Ooh, Tugger! Thrust those hips at the speed of light! It never gets old!'"

"Someone's jealous," _she_ teased him.

This was the last straw for Rosemarine. With a low hiss- no longer caring if they heard her- she ran off before emotion made her a complete wreck. Listening to that conversation had been about the worst idea she'd had all day. Oh wait, it hadn't even been an idea- more like an uncontrollable impulse. Just because she'd heard the tabby's voice, she had to stop and pay attention. She'd even lost that rat. Damn that black-and-gold princess! Damn Rose's own obsession! _Why do I always make things more unbearable for myself? _Hearing that awful flirtation was just too much. Fighting sobs, she ran till she blundered into an old sofa. There the princess stayed, not paying attention to the passing time, simply unwilling to go back anytime soon. Gossamew didn't know, none of them could know. _I don't think even Gossy could make me feel better right now… _

_Feel better about what? _

* * *

Coricopat had been on a rather urgent walk. What to do, what to do about her? It was no help that Tantomile was beginning to call that certain princess "his" princess. _Being emotionally attached to someone does not make them yours, _the black and white calico reminded himself. He wished his sister would pay attention to that particular fact. Although he supposed it was somewhat deserving; Cori had done his fair share of teasing in the twins' conversation earlier today.

But back to the issue at hand. What was he to do about this problem? The calico tom knew full well that nearly everyone in the junkyard wasn't exactly comfortable around himself and his sister. It was a stroke of luck that Rosemarine and her brother seemed undisturbed by the aloof air of the tribe's resident mystics. That was one reason logic gave him for being attracted to her. (And any logic in such irrational matters as this must be paid attention to.)

_That and those eyes, to say nothing of her markings. Or the way she takes care of her brother despite being herself the younger sibling… _

Suddenly a different thought-voice intercepted Coricopat's mental monologue. It seemed distraught- and somewhat familiar.

_Why do I always make things more unbearable for myself? _

This was surely not Tantomile's voice. For one thing, she was not close enough to make such clear telepathic contact; and for another, his sister had never been so openly worried. Innate logic and calmness did much to quell unnecessary outbursts. It was near impossible to break the twins' reasoning, even in crisis.

Not so this princess, for princess it certainly was. A moment later the same new voice spoke once more. _I don't think even Gossy could make me feel better right now…_

As he came over a hill of slightly slick trash bags, Cori saw an old sofa a few feet away, upholstery torn, springs sticking out. However, these details quickly fell aside when he saw the kit curled under its dustcover, her head just visible with a distinctive patch of reddish-pink between the ears. What a sense of humor life had. Here was the very subject of his musings. Without stopping to consider, the calico reached out to her in thought. _Feel better about what?_

The tawny princess uncurled, fully revealing her head as those blue eyes looked up with a startled expression. "What was that?" Then she registered the calico tom's presence. "Coricopat, was that you in my head?"

Cori gave a short cough. "…Yes it was. I apologize for disconcerting you. Should I go?"

"No- don't leave," came Rosemarine's voice as he started to turn. She wriggled out fully into the open.

"You wish me to stay?"

"I kind of need someone to talk to," she admitted softly.

After that, what else could he do but oblige her? Coricopat accepted the invitation and seated himself fairly close to the moody kit. There was a short silence before he spoke again. "Is something wrong, Rosemarine?"

She gave a mirthless little laugh. "Yeah, something wrong with me."

The black-and-white calico's normally calm voice gained a bit of an edge. "With you? What do you mean?" How could she even say that? Rose may have been upset at the moment, but that didn't mean anything was wrong. The princess was in fine health. Occasional emotional swings were normal.

"Just because I heard M- a friend of mine talking, I had to stop and listen. And I heard some stuff I didn't really like." She sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking. I just did it. So now I have this awful conversation bouncing around in my head-" Suddenly her blue eyes turned to him. "You haven't been listening to it, have you?"

"No," Cori told her, "you would know if I were invading your mind. Tanto and I make it a general rule not to listen in on others' thoughts without permission. Although sometimes, the thought is so strong that it makes itself heard." He paused. "As did yours about Gossamew's supposed inability to relieve these unhappy feelings you seem to be experiencing."

"Um…" Rose blushed.

"Why not talk to her? I am sure she would be able to help."

There was a few moments' silence as the princess beside him seemed unsure where to look. At last settling upon contemplating the ground, she replied, "Well, it's kind of a- well, Goss doesn't know because I didn't tell her. And I'm not sure I want to…at least not about this."

"Ah." More silence. _By the way she acts, the problem could be that 'friend' she mentioned, _Coricopat's logic pointed out. "Is there anything unusual about this… 'friend' whose conversation upset you when you overheard them?"

Now she seemed to be going through an inner struggle. At last concluding the battle, Rosemarine spoke. "I like him, you see. This friend. And what I heard sounded like he was flirting with this other princess. And he doesn't know how I feel, so of course he has a perfect right to flirt, but….well…" She trailed off.

"You are attracted to this friend, is that what you mean?" A nod answered Cori's question. "And you are jealous of whomever he was talking to?" Another nod. The calico paused, then steeled himself to continue. "Perhaps if you…told him of your feelings, you might be less tense about this whole thing." He could not pretend it did not cost him much effort to say this. After all, he was basically suggesting she lay her feelings on the proverbial line to be accepted or denied.

And catnip take it if she was denied. _It…it would be extremely unfair to her. _

"Coricopat…" Rosemarine sighed for the second time in this conversation, effectively halting the tom-kit's train of thought. "You don't understand. He likes someone else. And that's who he was talking to." She bit her lip. "What good would telling him how I feel do now?"

There was the longest pause yet. Finally, the calico tom-kit spoke. "It would be for your own sake. Having it out and over with would…I believe it would do you good."

She looked up at him, clearly considering. "Maybe," she eventually replied. "But…" Again she trailed off. "I don't know. Do you think he would listen?"

"I think it's worth finding out." Coricopat returned her steady gaze.

Rosemarine again considered. This time she reached a decision. He could see it in her eyes before she spoke. "Well…all right then. I'll tell him… I'll tell him tomorrow." A little smile of relief emerged on her face. "Thank you, Cori." She stood to go.

He gave her his own small smile. "You're welcome."

* * *

A/N: Ah, misunderstandings. This, my dear Rosie, is why you should not eavesdrop. Sadly I know the impulse myself, having experienced it many times in the past...shakes self Ahem. Rubidia, Queen-Em, spirit, here's another chapter for you. To any other readers, do please leave a review. I love them so much. If nothing else, it lets me know that people are reading it.


	6. Elaborate Plans

**A/N: Ok, I am not dead! This story is not on hiatus! I'M BACK, PEOPLE! ahem Sorry. I'm opening in a production of "Meet Me in St. Louis" tomorrow and the final rehearsals left almost no time for writing. But I finally managed to get in another episode of this, my most-hit story. Rubidia, you lovely thing, here you go.**

Tuesday morning dawned just as always…if all one meant was the rising of the sun. For the many Jellicle kits, it was one day closer to adulthood. With this came a host of anxieties, doubts, outsize angst…

…and for a pair of petty thieves and pranksters on the rise in Victoria Grove, the usual mischief.

"On moi signal," breathed the little tom to his sister from behind the white "mask" markings round his eyes, as the pair sat by the edge of the drapes. "Free…two…one!"

With that the twins' latest scheme was off. The princess pulled the drapes open, letting in blinding sunlight and startling a parakeet in its hanging cage, which screeched loudly and flapped its wings in panic. The resultant swaying of said cage knocked off the top of a colossal house of greeting cards. When this subsequently collapsed, the cards scattered hither and yon, though a good many ended up falling with a _whumpf _into the fireplace, blowing a lovely bunch of ash and cinders into the room in a nice gray _whoosh_. Seeing the mess, the parakeet grew even more agitated in its cage.

"Let's go Mungo," said the breathless little princess with a grin, "she's comin'!" Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer pelted out of the room and down the hall, the parakeet's hysterical screeches echoing after them. Skidding out the cat-flap in the kitchen, the crazily patched pair hurried round the side of the house to peek in from outside through the formerly draped window.

As the mischievous duo peered over the sill with identical wide grins, the eldest of the kits in the household, a red-haired near queen, ran into the chamber they'd just vacated. "Oh no!" she murmured in exasperation as she took in the twins' handiwork. "They've done it again!"

In rushed the queen of the house after her daughter. "What is it?" And then _she _saw the mess. "Oooh! It's that horrible cat!" she wailed. "_Both _those horrible cats!"

This boded no good for the near-queen's beloved pets. "Now Mum," she began nervously.

"Don't you 'now Mum' me! This is the last straw, positively _the_ last straw!" the older queen ranted. "I don't know which of those fiends did this, but it's the last time. Get the vacuum, pick up those cards, and shut the drapes halfway. They're your pets, and you're responsible. I'm telling you Linzi, this is the end. Those two will never be allowed in this house again…"

"Mum, take it easy." The daughter tugged once or twice at her red braid, trying to keep calm. "I'm getting the vacuum, okay? I'll do all that stuff. Just relax." Going to the closet, she bent down and began pulling out an appliance by its long cord.

As she watched from outside the window, Rumpleteazer tensed at her brother's side. "Oh no," she whimpered, seeing just which machine was coming out of the closet at the end of its leash. "She's goin' ta use the Roary Monster…" Rumple loved the sound of a vase as it crashed to the floor, and she wasn't fussed about the noise of a train passing, but she had always hated the vacuum cleaner and all the racket it made. "Why didn' Oi fink o' that-"

"Iss okay, Teaze," Mungojerrie told her quickly, trying to prevent panic from setting in completely. "Iss in there, we'ah out 'ere. It won' get yah tail evah again."

But the high-pitched wail that issued from the frightened kit as she saw the Roary Monster being tethered to its power source had already attracted attention. The human queen inside was heading for the window with a murderous look in her eye.

"Teazer, RUN!" Mungo yelled, alerting his sister of the more imminent danger. He grabbed her paw and took off. The siblings fled to an oft-used haven: the ivy patch beneath the kitchen window, where they crouched down under the leaves. They were just barely small enough to stay hidden. Thankfully, their unexpected flight had quelled Teazer's panic considerably.

"Boy Jerrie," she said shakily, "sh-she was pret'y mad, eh?" She gave a short, quavering laugh.

"Yeah. Looked loike a sore Pollicle," Jerrie joked back, eager to return his sister to her fun-loving, impish normal self. "Tha' was one o' the best oideas we evah 'ad, Rumple."

"We?" Rumpleteazer's mouth quirked in that elfin way she had. "Oi fink you've fahgot whose oidea i' really was."

"No Oi didn'," Mungojerrie returned, keeping up the banter. "I' was moine."

"Oh no i' wasn'," Rumple countered. "The 'ole fing was moine all the wiy."

"Now for breakfass," mused Mungo, satisfied that his sister was herself again.

"'Ey, you can't chynge the subjec' that' fass!" she protested.

"But we 'aven' eaten ye', Teaze."

"…Oh. Roight."

From the now-open kitchen window high up on the wall, the voices of the humans' three tom-kits floated down.

"What happened, Linzi?" said the first eagerly.

"We heard the noise!" added the second.

"You woke me up," complained the third. The other two ignored him.

"What'd they do this time?" begged the second. "And was it Mungojerrie-"

"-or Rumpleteazer?" finished the first.

"I think it was both, Michael, Liam," their older sister addressed the first two. "From what I can tell it involved Warbler's cage and what looks to have been a gigantic greeting-card house."

"You always say it was both," groaned Liam. "Why couldn't it've been just Mungo? I bet it was." As the twins listened, Mungo became very smug.

"Nah, it was Teazer," said Michael, dismissing the other's idea. "Girls do that complicated stuff easier. She could've done the card house, no problem." In the ivy outside, it was Rumple's turn to puff up with pride, while her brother looked slightly deflated.

"We can set up card houses too," the third pointed out, evidently sharing Mungo's deflation. "And anyone can do it with greeting cards. If it was playing cards, now-"

"Oh come on James," Michael sneered. "You know you're just saying that because your card houses fall down no matter which kind you use."

"Guys, stop it!" Linzi said, raising her voice as James began to protest. "I have to feed the wonder-twins now." At this phrase, Mungo perked up again. Both kits attempted to lead the other's way to the 

back step. They were still elbowing each other when the red-haired human queenkit opened the door and put out two bowls of milk. "You two have to stop that stuff for a while. I mean it," she told them reproachfully as the pair mewed and purred loudly, rubbing against her legs in greeting. "Mum might really throw you out next time." When they continued to purr affectionately, her frown slowly melted, replaced by a reluctant grin. "Nice work though," she admitted. Standing up, she left them to eat in peace.

Several minutes later, the twins were well on their patched way towards the junkyard. "Awl in a mornin's work," Rumple said with satisfaction. "Now awl we 'ave to do is get dates to the Ball and we'll be set for the week."

"'Aven' you picked anyone ye', Rumple?" her brother asked, giving her a questioning look.

"No, but neithah 'ave you," she shot back. "Only you don' 'ave ta."

"Wha' d'you mean, Oi don' 'ave ta?" Now Mungo's face wore a perplexed expression.

"Oi mean somebody's already lookin' ta ask ya, tha's what," his sister returned. "An'," she added with her elfin grin, "Oi'm no' tellin' which princess, eithah."

The little tom's perplexed look was replaced first by shock, then by a frown. "Oh come on, Teaze. Tha' s not fair." Teazer's grin only widened. "You can't jus' say somethin' loike tha' an' then no' tell me 'oo i' is!" Now she whistled airily, as if not paying attention. "Pleeeaaase, Teazer?" The whistling continued. "Teazer…" he pleaded in a sing-song voice. Then, flat-out begging: "Yer killin' me! Jus' tell me 'oo!"

"No wiy." Rumpleteazer was thoroughly enjoying herself.

Mungojerrie stopped walking and threw up his paws in exasperation. "Okay, Rumple. Oi give up. Wha' d'you want me ta do f'ya to tell me which princess wants t'ask me to the Ball?"

Rumple turned to her brother with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Admit i' was moi oidea 'bout the card 'ouse an' the cyge."

"Bu'- Oi-"

"Do you wanna know or not?"

Mungo started to protest once more but gave up before he even began the sentence, instead sighing in defeat. "Okay. Oi admiddit. It was your oidea. Happy now?"

"Yes." Her grin was diabolic. The pair resumed walking in the moments of silence that followed.

"So who is i'?" Jerrie burst out, not wanting to wait any longer.

"Oh nobody…just someone with yellow eyes and blue-gray fur…"

Jerrie's brows drew together in confusion. "_Oopsacat_ wants to ask me-?"

"No, you idiot!" Teazer laughed and punched his arm. "Pussywillow!"

An electric charge of disbelief surged through the little tom, every orange, black and brown patch on his body standing on end for a moment. _Pussywillow?_ She of the constant eye-roll, second in looks only to Bombalurina, and just as aloof- _Pussy _wanted to ask him to the Ball? "Oi- Oi-why would she want to ask _me_?" he sputtered. "Yer jus' jokin', roight Teaze?"

"Beats the fur outta me why, either," his sister returned, "but tha's what she said yesterday mornin'. So regre'ably, no, Oi'm not jokin'."

"Wow…" For the rest of the way to the 'yard, that was the only syllable Mungo was capable of uttering. Which he did, at infrequent intervals, his sister grinning all the while as he stared ahead dreamily without seeming to see the road. When they finally arrived, Rumple pulled her brother aside just inside the gate.

"Okay Mungo, you've 'ad your moment ta go inta shock. Now ya gotta relax." When he didn't respond, she shook him a little. "Wake up Mungo, we'ah heah. We'ah gonna go in theah an' meet the othahs, an' you've gotta act normal or everyone will know Oi told ya. Which they shouldn', because i' was kinda supposed ta be a secret. An' if Pussy sees ya loike this she moight jus' change 'er moind…"

_That _woke Jerrie up in a hurry. "Change 'er moind?"

"Yeah. So snap outta it and stay outta it. All roight?"

He nodded fervently.

"Okay then. Let's go."

* * *

As was her usual habit once they arrived at the junkyard, Pussy had long since separated from her cousin. However, instead of joining any kind of gossip session this morning, the blue-gray princess had other plans- today she'd opted to seclude herself in a clearing within several piles of variously sized tires. She intended to show that Bombalurina a thing or two at the Ball, and with a piece like the one Bomba had selected, this would take work.

Actually, thought Pussy ruefully, a lot more work than she'd thought. Unlike StinkBomb (as Pussy called her in her thoughts), she didn't have access to a lot of music- she and Oopsacat lived with an elderly human queen who had no use for "musical calculators" or "compoopers"- no such high-tech items for her. No, the snowy-haired woman listened to cassette tapes and watched the occasional video.

"And they're _musicals,_" she muttered aloud. "Musicals without a sexy bone in them. How am I supposed to find a song out of _those_?" Still, it couldn't hurt to try. Pussy began to run over the list. "_Oklahoma_? No. _Hello, Dolly? _Hello, lame. _Carousel? _Oh, please... _The King and I? _Nope. _West Side Story..? _Well, there is that one verse when they're all singing about 'tonight' or some such, but it's only one verse." She groaned. "That selection is pathetic." At her wits' end, Pussywillow ceased her pacing and sat down heavily in defeat, palming her forehead in one paw. The Ball was in five days, and unless something happened fast, she was doomed.

Then she remembered something even worse- she didn't even have a date yet. Now that was just the end. Not having a performance piece was bad enough, but no date? And here she was the best-looking princess in the junkyard…well, okay, second-best, Pussy grudgingly admitted. Just her luck the toms were all over StinkBomb's red and black fur. Probably Mungojerrie, too. At that she let out a sigh.

"Pussy?"

The blue-gray princess whipped around, filled for half a second with an unreasonable wild hope. When she saw who it was, though, the feeling died instantaneously. "Oopsa, how in the Heaviside did you manage to find me all the way out here?"

He shrugged. "Lucky guess."

Pussy rolled her eyes at that one, but she decided to let it go. "Well, what do you want?"

"Puss, I…I gotta ask you something." His tail twitched uncertainly. When this was met with no immediate dismissal, he took a breath and went on. "There's this…princess I wanna ask to the Ball, and…well…" He blushed.

"Don't say it."

"What?"

"Don't even say it. Oops, do not tell me you tracked me down to get advice on asking someone out!"

He blinked. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," she shot back mockingly. But suddenly, she stopped. _What am I doing, snapping at Oopsa over this? At least he's taking a step towards getting a date. And for all my talk, I haven't done a thing. _With a sigh, she looked back at him. "Okay, Oops. Who is it?" she asked, her voice more even.

"It's Rumpleteazer," Oopsacat began, then frowned. "Wait, you're actually going to listen to me?"

"Go on before I change my mind." But though she pretended disinterest, Pussy's brain had suddenly caught fire. _He likes Rumpleteazer? Suddenly, my date prospects are looking a lot better. _

"Well," the blue-gray tom-kit asked, "how do I ask her so she won't laugh at me?"  
"Laugh at you?" Pussy echoed. "Why would she? Rumple's pretty nice, so far as I can tell. And she hasn't got her eye on anyone in particular, you know."

"Oh." Oopsa stood a little straighter. "Really? That's…that's good. But Pussy, I still don't know what to say to her. I've hardly spoken to her since we came here. And she's funny and clever and…" The blush appeared again, an odd shade of brown through the blue-gray of his fur.

"Aw catnip, Oopsa, just stop. You're making me sick." But his cousin was smiling. "Look, it's not so terribly difficult. Just try to get her alone- you probably don't want anyone listening in-" –this was received with an emphatic nod- "-and say, 'Hey Rumple, fancy going to the Ball with me?'"

He raised an eyebrow. "That's it? Just like that?"

"What, you want more?"

"Well, yes, actually. I did want to impress her."

"Look Oops,' I'm a princess. If you wanted to know how to get a tom's attention, then I could help you a lot more. But as it is-"

"But that's just it," Oopsa interrupted. "You're the prettiest princess around besides-"

"First off, I'm the _sexiest, _not the _prettiest. _Second off, don't even _say _that name."

The little tom looked a bit nauseated. "I can't really say 'sexiest' about my own cous-"

"Just start over again." The look in Pussywillow's narrowed golden eyes was not a look one wanted to question.

"Okay, okay. You're the…" Oopsacat squirmed before he went on. "…sexiest princess around besides you-know-who. Surely you'd know what it takes to really grab the attention of one of your own gender."

"Hmm…" Looking highly pleased, Puss stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose you _do _have a point. But are you still sure you want to be asking me? By all accounts, you should have gone to Rum Tum Tugger with a question like this."

For the third time in the conversation, Oopsa's blush returned. "Eh…but he's so unapproachable. Have you ever seen him carrying on an actual conversation as opposed to a flirting fest?" Silence. "I thought so. And anyway, I want to act like myself, not a Tugger wannabe."

Pussy snickered only half involuntarily. This was too cheesy for words. "You mean trip over something and fall at her feet, then ask her? Yeah, that'll get Teazer's attention."

Oopsacat's eyes lit up. "Trip strategically? It might make her laugh…That's a great idea!" He rushed forward and hugged her swiftly, chattering a mile a minute in a rush of gratitude. "Thanks so much Willow! I knew you could help me. Parfax was going on yesterday about setting up a bunch of cans to spell out the word BALL with a question mark and then leading her to them but I knew I'd mess that up and…"

Pussy gave a pointed, overly loud cough. "Oopsacat, stop babbling and go find her, already. Oh, and tell Mungojerrie I want to talk to him, okay?"

"Okay!" Eyes still sparkling, so like her own with their golden color, Oops turned tail and (after a minor spill over the tip of said tail) bounded away, leaving his cousin staring after him for a moment or two with an amused smile. Things were looking much better. No doubt in a few minutes Mungo would be here, and she could ask him to the Ball. _Then _she'd worry about her performance piece.

* * *

"Rosie…Rose?" Gossamew poked her head into Jennyanydots' ward. "Jenny, where's Rose? I know she's out here somewhere cause her kit-sitting shift is done, but I can't find her anywhere. Did you see which way she went?"

"Pounci, let go of Auntie Jenny's tail," the Gumbie Cat ordered the mischievous little kit at her feet, then turned to Goss. "No dear, I'm sorry. Certain little things were distracting me." She directed the last phrase at Pouncival and Tumble, who smiled as if they knew what she meant.

"Oh, okay. Thanks anyway, Jen." Gossy retreated, sighing as she moved out of earshot. That was the tenth negative she'd received in her quest for her best friend's whereabouts. It seemed no one had seen Rosemarine at all this morning after she'd gone to- and left- her usual shift with Jenny and the kits. "Well, there's only one thing left to try," she said to herself resignedly. "Start wandering." And she set off around the side and past the ward to see what lay beyond.


	7. Moments of Truth part 1

**A/N: What's this? A SECOND chapter update? Yes, I am proud to announce this as my first double update. Have fun! **

Several hours later, Goss was close to giving up. There weren't even any other kits out here, why should Rosemarine be one of those absent? "Maybe she's turned up with the others by now," the little princess reasoned. However, no sooner had she spoken than a sigh was heard from somewhere to her right. Turning, she saw a dilapidated old sofa. As she watched, the sigh came again. Seeing that no one was on or beside the ruined furniture piece, there was only one thing she could assume. She scampered up and poked her head under the dustcover. Sure enough, there was- "Rose!" Gossy exclaimed in surprise and relief. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Being a coward," the tawny princess mumbled. "Aw Goss, how'd you find me?"

"Some people's sighs are extremely loud," her friend returned. "And who says you're a coward?"

"No one…Me." Rosemarine stared at the ground. "I can't even talk to him, and I've tried five times already just to approach. But he never even saw me."

"Hold it. Slow down. _Who _never even saw you?"

"Munkustrap." Saying his name was getting easier. "He's so distracted today, too…always looking around for someone. And I bet I know who," Rosie added, a bitter edge creeping into her voice.

"Oh right, Demeter," said the auburn princess without thinking. Much to her surprise, this was met with yet another despairing sigh. "What's the matter?" …And then it hit her. "Oh dear. You like him, don't you?"

"Take a wild guess," Rosie responded glumly. "And he doesn't know, and I promised Coricopat I'd at least tell Munku today, but…oh Goss, I can't do it. And that's why I'm a coward."

Gossamew was even more confused. "What's all this about promising Coricopat?"

Realizing the necessity of filling her in, Rose gave her friend a basic version of yesterday's events. When she had finished, there was a brief silence, which Goss eventually broke. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "I…I'm your best friend, aren't I?" Her green eyes filled with hurt.

"Oh no. Goss, it's not that, don't be upset. I should have, I know." Rose had never meant to hurt her friend, of all Jellicles.

"But you didn't." Now Gossy was starting to pout.

"I know, I'm sorry. I am. It's just, well…I don't know why I didn't tell you. Until Cori, I didn't tell anyone except Aunt Jenny. But that's because… well…I didn't want it to die, I guess." Puzzlement added to the unhappiness in Goss' eyes, and seeing this, the tawny princess quickly went on. "You know how you don't want anyone to see your dances till you've got them perfect, Gossy? How until you're ready, they're like a…I don't know…like your kit, or something. You want them to grow at their own pace till they're all ready to be performed."

"Yeah…yeah, I know." Gossamew nodded.

"Well, that's how I felt about telling anyone my secret. It was hard even to confess to Jenny. I didn't want it to be trivialized, or analyzed, or talked over till it's just a common fact. I wanted it to stay special. You can only tell certain people these things…"

"Like Coricopat?" Goss' eyes were less hurt, but not by much. "Like you told him?"

"I didn't tell him!" Rosie protested. "He figured it out."

The green eyes widened and their owner nodded. "Oooh, I see. It was that creepy mind-reading thing he can do, wasn't it? You didn't have a choice."

"No it wasn't. I already told you what happened. He just worked it out." Somewhere in the back of Rose's mind, she wondered why she was defending him. _It's just because he at least helped me figure out what to do. That's why. And besides, Goss is getting it all wrong. Anyway, _Rose argued mentally,_ it's not Cori's fault I'm a coward._

Gossamew relented. "Well, I suppose. He's pretty smart, right? It wouldn't be that hard. Heck, I even figured it out and you didn't have to say anything!" Now she was smiling. But a moment later, her expression turned rueful. "I should have known. Where do I get off, being so upset because you didn't tell me? I'm so silly." She looked at her friend pleadingly. "Forgive me?"

In answer, Rose leaned over and gave Goss a hug. "Of course."

"Thanks." They sat back as the auburn kit continued. "No wonder you wouldn't say which tom you liked best when I'd already packaged Dem and Munku off so neatly. You know, I don't even think Bomba flat-out said that they'd already asked each other. I guess I just assu-"

"They haven't? I mean, she didn't'?" Rosemarine interrupted with sudden excitement. "Then I _can _tell him- there _is _hope!" Just as quickly, however, her own blue eyes grew insecure. "But still…he might not listen, Gossy."

It was Goss' turn to get excited. "Who says he won't? Listen Rose, I've just had an idea. You haven't talked to Munku yet- but neither have I talked to Misto. So tomorrow, we'll both go up to our toms. You'll tell Munkustrap how you feel, and I'll ask Mistoffelees to the Ball. Then we'll both have conquered our shynesses!" Goss looked extremely pleased with herself.

At first, Rosie shared her friend's sentiment. "Glossy-Goss, you're absolutely brilliant!" she exclaimed, giving the auburn kit an eagerly returned hug. Then doubt set in. "But…wait a minute, aren't we rushing this? We don't even know what to say to them..."

"Oh, that's easy," Gossamew replied with confidence. "We just…that is, we, um…" Slowly her face clouded as well. "You're right," she admitted with a sigh. However, hardly a moment later the confidence returned. "Well, that's what rehearsal is for."

"Huh?"

"We can practice what we'll say right now," Goss explained. "Here, I'll go first and pretend to be Munku." And putting their heads together, the two princesses set to work.

* * *

Mungojerrie had never been this nervous in his life. Oopsacat had just told him a few minutes ago that "Willow wants to talk to you," and pointed the way. Now as the patched tom-kit saw the tire piles he'd been directed to look for only a few feet ahead, his heart started pounding harder than ever. There was only one thing this could mean. _Evahlastin' Cat, don't let me make a fool o' m'self… _

And then he was there, peeking round one of the tire piles. Sure enough, there was a pacing blue-gray princess. She hadn't seen him yet. Which was a good thing, because Mungo was getting very, very flustered. _This 'as to be a flippin' joke. Theah's no wiy in the 'Eaviside someone this gorgeous wants t'ask me to th'- Oh fleas, Mungo, jus' get the 'ell in theah befoah you lose i' completely._ Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax. _Okay, now __theah's nothin' ta worry abou.' Yah smooth…debonaih…You'll be swell. _He put on his best smile and stepped in where she'd be sure to see him. "Ahem…you wanted ta see me?"

Pussywillow was in the midst of her sixty-fourth length of the clearing, when she heard an unmistakable cockney accent from behind her. The resultant whirling around was, in retrospect, highly undignified, but for now she attempted to relax, sliding on a cheesy grin. "Ah…Jerrie. Hi."

"Hi," Mungojerrie repeated. Pussy's own nerves were calmed a bit when it became obvious that he was even more nervous than she was. The smile she had pasted on became a proper one- even a little sexy. This got easier by the second. However, just as Pussy began to follow up the newly sexy smirk with a little flirtation, Mungo blurted out, "D'you wanna go to th' Jellicle Ball Sundy noight?"

The golden eyes blinked in surprise. "You do get to the point quickly, don't you?" Pussy's grin widened. "I like that in a tom," she purred, slinking forward a little.

Far from relaxing in kind, though, Jerrie looked a bit panicked. "Eh…is that a yes?"

Puss could no longer help herself- she laughed. "Of course it is." She left off slinking, as it clearly was a bit soon for this tom-kit's nerves.

All the muscles in Jerrie's body went limp as he sagged in relief and amazement. "Wow. Tha' was easier than I thought." He swayed a little. _Oi don't b'lieve it. She actually said yes… _With this thought, he all but fainted- at any rate, the patched tom-kit hit the ground.

Pussy's eyes widened. "Mungojerrie?" For several long seconds nothing happened. Just as she rushed to his side, the brown eyes blinked open. "You okay?" she asked anxiously.

By way of an answer, the little tom let his head fall back for a couple more seconds, closing his eyes again. He opened them a second time as if expecting to see nothing but the sky above him, but failing that, closed them once more. "Catnip," he mumbled, "can't Oi jus' wake up already?"

"Wake up?" It took Pussywillow half a second to realize what he was on about. Then she laughed again. "You silly thing, you're not dreaming. Now sit up, I know you're all right."

In wonderment, Mungojerrie obeyed her. Collecting himself a few moments later, he turned to his new date and gave a weak smile. "Sorry 'bout tha'. Oi jus' thought i' moigh've been a dream is all. Still can't really b'lieve i'…"

Now Pussy just stared at him. "Is it so unbelievable to think that I'd say yes if you asked me to the Ball?"

"Well…yeah. Oi mean…" He trailed off, returning her stare.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Well, iss jus'…look a' me, an' then look a' you. Yah the mos' gorgeous thing to hit the junkyard since Oi don' know when- whoy would ya pick me?" He blushed and shifted a little. "Oi'm no' tha' special."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Pussy was indignant. "You're clever and funny; you've got the guts to sneak into humans' houses night after night and come home with loads of their stuff- meaning you have more agility than most all the other cats I've met, myself included…How can you say you're not that special?"

Mungo had been growing redder and redder throughout this whole speech. "Y'….y'mean that?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," the blue-gray princess declared. Then she noticed the dizzying heights of the blush on Mungo's face and promptly matched them with one of her own. "Oh fleas. I actually said all that, didn't I…"

Blush or not, Jerrie grinned in earnest now. "Yup." He got to his paws and strutted a little. "Athletic, humorous, smart, brave…Tugger, eat yer 'eart ou'. Oi'm goin' to the Jellicle Ball wiv the bes'-lookin' princess in the 'yard!" He nearly shouted the last sentence. When he looked back at Puss, she was giggling. He pretended indignation. "Whassamatter? Ya said i', didn' ya?"

"Yes," tittered Pussy through the laughter, "but that was a _killer _strut you did there, you crazy tom you." She stood up as well. "Off with you, Mungo. Now that I have my date settled, I've got a piece to practice."

The devilish grin Pussy loved so much was now spread thick on Jerrie's face. "Aww, can't I watch?"

"No." The blue-gray princess made a show of shooing him away with a flap of one paw. "It's a secret till Sunday. Go, go on now."

Mungojerrie made a mock pout and walked off in greatly exaggerated disappointment. Just before disappearing toward the main clearing, he turned back and called, "Well, I'll pick you up at eight!"

"I'll be ready!" Pussywillow called back, and waved as he moved out of sight. For a few moments after he had gone, she smiled dreamily to herself. Then the rosy mists of affection evaporated with a jolt as she remembered-

She still didn't have a performance piece.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, it was kind of short. And yes, Rose apparently requires triple reassurance for this simple little business of confessing her feelings to the tom she adores. To counteract that, one of my planned couples at last matches up! **

**Rubidia, I apologize for disappointing you with the lack of Demunku in these chapters, but I promise that ch. 8 or 9 is bound to have a good moment of that pairing- and a few other pairings, for that matter. Stay tuned, I beg thee! **

* * *


	8. Moments of Truth part 2

**A/N: Lazy lazy me. I can't believe it took me so long to put the lid on this chappy after I so happily started it immediately following my double post. But here, at long last, is chapter 8. Enjoy...if you're not too mad at me for taking so long... **

Wednesday morning…

"I don't believe it, Dem. He hasn't asked you _yet?" _Bombalurina stared incredulously at her best friend, who simply shook her head and sighed. "But there are only five more days left!" the scarlet kit continued.

"Four," corrected an arriving Jellylorum. "What's the matter, hasn't anyone asked Demeter?"

"No, Munku hasn't," Bomba told her with a newly injured air. "The cluelessness of that tom-kit…"

"Bomba, it's _okay,_" Demeter insisted. "If he doesn't ask me, we can go together, bachelorette style."

Now Bomb's face reflected a look of pain. "Don't remind me," she muttered, palming her forehead.

"Tugger turned her down this morning," Demy explained in answer to Jelly's questioning look. "I don't know _what _he was thinking," she added consolingly to the rejected, dejected princess beside her, putting an arm round her shoulders.

"Aww Bomb, it's okay," Jelly contributed. "He's an egotistical jerk. And you're not obligated to do the Mating Dance, anyway."

Unfortunately, that last remark pitched Bombalurina into unparalleled depths of despair. "How's it going to look if I, of all princesses, fail to do that dance at my first Ball?" she demanded. Springing to her paws, she continued, "I _will _get a date. You see if I don't."

"Well, I've got one!" sang Pussywillow, flinging herself down into the circle.

"You have?" A skeptical Cassandra pause d on her way past the little group.

Pussywillow nodded gleefully. "Mungojerrie asked me yesterday! And," her voice dropped to conspiratorial levels, "when I said yes, he practically fainted!" She smiled happily at the memory.

"That poor thing," grinned Jellylorum. She leaned closer. "No kidding?"

"No kidding," Pussy told her. "Fell down and everything. And then he opened his eyes, closed them, and opened them again, and he was all 'Catnip, can't I just wake up already?' Silly thing thought he was dreaming…"

"No way!" exclaimed Deme, who like Jelly was leaning in eagerly. "That is so sweet!"

"I find it rather imbecilic," commented Cassandra dryly. "Alonzo made no such fuss when I asked him; he agreed to go with me and that was the end of it. " And on she walked.

Poor Bombalurina was long since forgotten. Realizing this dismal fact, and that her rival had actually gotten a date before her, she had no choice but to throw up her paws and streak away in pursuit of the nearest male age-mate. She'd show that Tugger just what he was missing.

* * *

In actual point of fact, Rum Tum Tugger was in no mental state to be missing much. He was too busy being scolded. Normally, this would slide right over his head and he'd walk off without another thought of the lecture. But when Jennyanydots was doing the scolding, he tended to listen.

"As if that poor kit isn't shy enough about his speech," the Gumbie Cat railed. "I'd have expected it of Admetus, though he seems to have left Oopsacat alone for a while now. But I never thought you would be so rude, Rum Tum. It's a wonder I didn't find out about this sooner. I'm sure I would have if Rosemarine wasn't so distracted lately."

Rum Tum scowled. "Bloody tell-tale," he muttered.

"You know the others only tell on you if you've been particularly naughty," Jenny returned, "and this little incident certainly qualifies. If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, _never _tease someone for any reason- particularly not something as personal as a speech impediment."

The Maine coon continued to scowl. "She's still a tell-tale."

"And you still need to apologize," Jenny finished. "I expect you to have done so by the end of today, or your song's going right out of the program for Sunday."

"_What?" _Tugger yowled indignantly.

"You heard me," the marmalade queen told him firmly. "Now off you go."

His mane and tail drooping considerably, the tom trudged off, plagued by haunting images of having to stay out of the spotlight, no squealing queens, no hip-thrusting…

* * *

Elsewhere in the junkyard, Munkustrap was not in an exactly peaceful state of mind. He knew he had to ask Demeter to the ball today or never get up the nerve again, but his nerves weren't in the best shape to begin with. This time around the little tabby knew better than to consult his brother, but his imagination was just as little help as ever. So lost in thought was he that the odd looks the others were giving him went completely unnoticed as he paced back and forth over the same section of the main clearing, right before one of the biggest pipes.

Unbeknownst to the distracted silver tabby, a certain tawny princess was lurking not too far away- on top of that very pipe, in fact, watching _him _pace below her and desperately reviewing the lines she had rehearsed with Gossamew the previous day. _It's not that hard, _she tried to convince herself. _I've got the advantage here- a script to follow. If I'd only get down there and start it, that is…_ Willing herself not to mess up, she scrambled down at long last and planted herself in plain sight of the pacing tom. Sure enough, when he turned, his eyes registered her in surprise. Rosemarine screwed up her courage and began. "Um…Munku? Could I talk to you for a second?"

Munku was slightly bewildered by Rose's sudden appearance, but at this point he would have taken any change of pace from his own worrying. Not trusting himself to speak just now, he settled for a nod. Another nod answered the query "In private…?"

Immensely relieved that the opening stages had gone so well, Rosie turned and led the way to Deuteronomy's tire. Neither she nor the tabby trotting along behind her noticed that when they passed the gossip circle, there was a collective widening of eyes and a sudden outburst of whispered conversation.

"Is tha' Rose wiv Munkustrap?" This from Rumpleteazer, who had joined the session a few minutes ago.

"_Leading _Munkustrap! And it looks like they're heading for the tire." That from Jellylorum.

"But what could they be doing?" Pussywillow wondered.

"I know," beamed Gossamew (who had arrived with Rumple).

Jelly, Rumple and Pussy began questioning her eagerly, but the auburn princess held up a paw to stop them. "Not now," she told the three. "Wait till they come back."

Once safely out of sight, far back beneath the tire, Rosie and Munku looked at each other in silence for a few moments until the latter spoke. "So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Oh joy, here it went. The words stuck halfway up Rosemarine's throat and she gave a few small coughs to dislodge them; at last, she was able to say, "I…well, I have something to tell you."

"Okay," Munkustrap looked at her with serious black eyes, "what is it?"

Now the tawny princess feared she would actually choke on the coming speech. She stammered, "W-well, it…ah…it's that…" _Dear Heaviside, _she thought disgustedly, _I'm making such an idiot of myself. _Unexpected even to her was her own next blurted sentence: "Do you have a date to the Ball?"

Munkus squirmed a little. So much for a distraction from his prospective invitation. "Um…no, not yet. But I was just going to ask De-"

"Wait!" Rose interrupted, almost pleadingly, to her inner horror. She hurriedly went on, worried by the wide-eyed look on her sweet tabby's face when she'd cut off his utterance of her rival's name. "Don't say it- not that name…cause the thing is, Munku, well…I…" She bit her lip. _Come on voice box, don't fail me now. _The appealed-to organ seemed temporarily, horribly defective.

"You…what?" The silver tabby was utterly nonplussed. What on earth was the matter with this princess? She was positively shaking like a leaf. "Rose," he asked gently, "what are you trying to tell me?"

Only the thought of not wanting to fail Gossamew, Coricopat and most of all herself gave Rosie the strength she needed now, nearly overcome as she was with terror at revealing her deepest secret to the very tom it concerned. She could barely breathe, yet she finally managed to squeak, "Munkustrap, I… I really l-like you."

Well! This threw Munku for a complete loop. Until now, he had barely dared to hope that Demeter felt anything romantic for him, and here was poor Rosie scared to death to confess that she did. She actually had a crush on him, of all the toms in the junkyard. What was the world coming to? He had a million questions, but only one found its way out: "You…you do?" Somewhere in the back of his mind an inner cynic made a disgusted cringe at the lameness of this reply to such a weighty statement, to make itself very much felt later. For now, he only registered the wide blue eyes of the nodding head before him; Rose seemed to be rendered momentarily speechless by her own daring. "I…wow." The inner cynic nearly bent itself in half with the cringe that resulted from that witty rejoinder.

Seeing her darling so taken aback, hope sprang up in Rosemarine's chest. Could it be that his state of amazement was because he liked her too, somewhere under his infatuation with the marbled beauty whose name she would not even think? The breath returned to Rosie's lungs willingly. "I've liked you for a long time," she explained, "but I never knew how to tell you before. Everyone's been saying that you were going to go to the Ball with De- Dem- with _her. _And I knew if I didn't say something now I never could."

Still processing the enormity of this whole situation, Munkustrap found it was his turn to nod wordlessly. This appeared to encourage the tawny princess before him, for she continued.

"So…so there it is," said Rose, feeling oddly lighter and certainly happier. "I really like you, Munku, and I want to know- would you go to the Jellicle Ball with me?"

But now, she saw, a hesitance was coming into the silver tabby's face. The silence stretched on and on…and on...Munku opened his mouth to speak, but Rose needed no words. In that awful pause she had gotten her answer loud and clear.

"Oh," she said, trying not to show her misery. "Well, that's okay then. I…I hope you'll have a nice time with Deme." Willing her tears back from whence they came, with surprising success, Rosemarine stood and with slow measured steps made her exit. _Control is all. Control is all, _she repeated in a mental mantra. This time, no one- _no one- _would see her cry. Not for all the Ball dates in the world.

* * *

Gossamew, having left the gossip circle, was on the search again- this time for the ever-elusive Mistoffelees. He'd been acting more absent-minded than usual for the past few weeks, always slipping off by himself. _Probably practicing his half of the Invitation Dance, _she reminded herself- she'd been working on her own part just as long. Naturally, this was her planned lead-in to the coming conversation…always assuming she could actually find him.

Surprisingly, Goss found that this seemed to be her day. Jennyanydots and Tantomile, respectively, pointed out that they'd seen the diminutive black tom heading towards the northern corner of the 'yard. Accordingly, the auburn princess crossed Deuteronomy's tire, the rag-and-crate jungle, a pile of trash bags; passed that torn and battered old couch where she and Rose had made their plans, and at last came within sight of the sought-out corner. As she got closer, her steps slowed, until she stood in silent amazement.

For there, all right, was the one and only Mistoffelees- dancing his paws off. Out he strode as if from a pipe, the picture of charm and suavity. Stop in the center, half a second for a pose, bend down and (Goss blushed a little) run his paws along the imaginary curve of a poised partner; offer the invisible queen his arm to sashay elegantly round the floor, twirl, momentary dip, and back up with a final pose and a dashing smile. He paused for a little breath and would have been off again, had not a certain green-eyed princess' voice finally returned.

"HolyrollersMistothatwasamazing!" In her excitement, Gossy's natural hyperness was at an all-time high. She continued to gush, "It'slikeyoureadmymindorsomething. Thosemovesperfectlycomplementmine-" Then she noticed her much-admired Misto looking very alarmed. The high was gone in an instant- Goss' ears drooped in embarrassment. "Sorry," she said softly. "I was a bit much there."

"You're not kidding." The tuxedo tom's light blue eyes slowly returned to normal width, though they still held quite some confusion. "How did you know I was here?"

At that the auburn ears drooped even further, and a hot blush crept up her face. "Well, um, I asked around a bit, and a couple Jellicles saw you heading this way, so I just followed what they said. I wanted to talk to you."

Misto relaxed. "What about?"

Gossamew, much to her perplexity, found herself getting nervous. _What? I thought this was Rosie's thing. My confidence is going…Come back you fool! _She railed at the traitorous attribute as it inexplicably attempted to slide away. Grabbing it by the scruff of its neck, she slammed it down under an appropriately sized metal box. _Get out of _that_ if you can. Jerk. _With this problem settled, she began to answer. "Well you see, it's about the- the- the Invitation Dance," she found herself blurting. "I thought we ought to practice together- we've only got a few more days before the Ball." Her confidence, from its metal box, snickered evilly. _You can keep me here, but you can't make me work for you, _it told her smugly.

Mistoffelees, knowing nothing of the inner banter taking place within the princess before him, found that this made perfect sense. "Sure, why not? Come on." With that he took up position snug within the corner of the junkyard fence. "This is that pipe near Deuteronomy's tire," he explained. "I'll be waiting here while you do your bit."

Goss, highly disgusted with her confidence's turncoat behavior, turned her back on the whole argument for now and summoned the dance steps she'd been working on. "Right. I'll cue you, ok?" At Misto's nod, she moved to the inner border of the corner, almost directly across from him. "Ok. So after 'The Naming of Cats,' I'll have sneaked round the back…"

"…and when the others all scatter…" Misto continued.

"…I'll come out like this." Goss gave a grin slightly tinged with nerves. _Well, fleas. We finish each other's sentences just like the Mystery Twins. _Hurriedly shoving that irrelevant thought aside, she started her steps- feather-light, gliding, slow movements to the center of the floor. _Five, six, seven, eight. Arch toward the ground, reach up and look to the Jellicle Moon, now up on one leg- slowly, slowly… _chanted her inner dance coach, keeping one eye on the smirking confidence all the while. _You're doing great. Glide into that split. And five, six, seven… _

The tuxedo tom, in his corner, watched mesmerized. She was fantastic. He nearly forgot that he himself had an entrance coming up, till the green eyes met his and winked. _…And that's your cue. Get out there! _He stood and threw himself into the strides toward "center stage." This was excellent. Gossamew not only rose quickly when he proffered the paw, but gracefully as well, and they moved together as smoothly as autumn leaves carried along by the same current. The twirl, the dip, and the final pose- and that was that. Their eyes met once more.

"…Well," the auburn princess said at last. "If we meet again this time tomorrow, and so on till Sunday, I think we'll have it."

"What!" Misto exclaimed. "We've already got it, are you kid-" Then he noticed that Goss was laughing. A wry smile crossed his own face. "Very funny," he told her.

"Wasn't it?" Gossy's confidence, impressed despite itself, was back in full force. "Especially your face," she added. His responding blush was so sweetly adorable that for a moment she couldn't speak. "Like now," she said softly. Then, hesitantly: "Will you…on Sunday?"

"It'd be pretty odd if I didn't, after that," the black Jellicle answered, thinking she was talking about the Invitation…till her confused green eyes told him she was issuing a different invitation. "Oh! I mean- you mean go with you?" Much to his surprise, she nodded. He could feel himself blushing even harder. "Well, I…sure. Sure I will." His smile brought forth a responding beam.

"Great!" Instantly euphoric, Gossamew laughed and gave a pirouette of joy, then looked back at her newfound date. "But seriously- another time through?"

The smile Mistoffelees still wore was answer enough.

* * *

**A/N pt. 2: So there it is. One sad ending (that you all knew was coming, I fear), and one happy. But oh no, my little Rose is not done angsting yet. Rejection is the third most painful thing in the world, after homesickness and death of loved ones. **

**Rubi, I swear there will be Demunku-ness proper in the next chapter if it kills me. Along, of course, with some good ol' RosemarineXCoricopat. (Contest: Help me come up with a decent combination name for this pairing and you will be swamped in reviews for your own fics!) For now, please r&r! **


	9. The Toms' Side of Things

Admetus was sulking. His best friend Alonzo, since being asked to the Ball the previous day by the ever-famous Cassandra, could not stop speculating on the glory of such an event in all its various facets: his regret that he'd not had enough presence of mind to say more than "Sure" in the face of the almighty question, his simultaneous disbelief and happy amazement that she'd asked him at all, and alternately, continual reiteration that "of course she was going to ask me anyway, she just had to get up the nerve," in various phrasing.

"I beg to differ," the scruffy tan tom-kit finally snapped, utterly sick of hearing 'Cassandra this' and 'Cassandra that.' "She probably asked you because she knew no one else would go with her." At this, the black-and-white harlequin beside him bristled. But just as 'Lon opened his mouth- no doubt intending to reply with some ill-thought-out retort- a bundle of joyous blue-gray fur came tumbling up to the pair, closely followed by a creamy blond blur.

Disentangling his limbs, Oopsacat got to his paws, grinning from ear to ear. His cheerful expression remained even when Parfax crashed into him, having been unable to properly brake, half a second later. Both Admetus and Alonzo found this more than a little creepy. The former, still slightly sulky, asked, "Why the grin, piano face?"

"Because, gentletoms," Parfax told them in a voice slightly tinged with the haughty tone of his nobility game, "our accident-prone colleague has finally discovered how to use his signature flaw to his advantage." This statement was confirmed by a happy nod from the continually beaming Oopsa.

Alonzo was blunt in his confusion at the stream of vocabulary: "What?"

"I got Rumpleteazer to go to the Ball with me!" Oopsacat cheered, literally jumping for joy…and landing flat on the ground yet again. "By tripping at her feet!" he added, not missing a beat.

Admetus found this very funny, and a grin appeared on his face in spite of himself. His day was finally looking up. "Wait, wait. You're beginning at the end there, Oops. What exactly happened?"

In response, the yellow-eyed tom sat upright on the spot of his most recent tumble. His creamy companion settled himself to the ground so aristocratically that one almost expected him to produce a monocle and top hat from somewhere or other. When proud of a friend's achievement, or indeed of his own if such were the case, Parfax habitually played his faux grandeur to the hilt.

But now, the floor was not Par's, and he gracefully acknowledged this with a prompting sort of nod as Oopsa launched into the story of the previous afternoon's successful venture through the world of the Jellicle princesses.

**[Flashback noise: **_**chung!**_**] **

_Tuesday, approximately one o'clock p.m. …_

Oopsacat and Parfax lurked behind an ashcan, with all the slightly desperate stealth that two such adolescent tom-kits could muster. Several feet away across the little clearing, Rumpleteazer was watching Jellylorum recite while the former held what looked to be some kind of script.

"See, she's helping Jelly practice. What did I tell you?" Par whispered. "Now are you ready to believe you can go through with this?"

The blue-gray kit swallowed. "Okay, okay, I can do this."

"_We _can do this," his friend corrected. "Here goes."

And they took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the ashcan, as casual as can be reasonably faked. As the pair came within earshot, the lines Jelly was reciting became clearer.

"You say you are the Tabby Knight, the one my jailer has always feared?" the yellow calico asked.

"The very sime, m'lady," Rumple stumbled over the words, "an' ever yer 'umble servant as long as the sun an' moon shall en- endoo-"

"_Endure," _Jelly supplied with a sigh.

"Endure," Rumpleteazer repeated with a touch of irritation herself. "Bloimey, can't 'e speak strite fer once?"

"For the fifth time, Rumple, it's a fairytale. People speak this way in fairytales." Jelly closed her eyes, clearing her head to remember the next line. "If you are the Tabby Knight, and willing to be my servant to set me free, then surely you must know the task that the king would have you do on the morrow."

"Indeed, m'lady. 'E 'as set me to fish yer golden ring out 'o the dark well without gettin' one 'air in the water. 'Ow am Oi to accomplish this dreadful task?" Rumple stopped reading once more and rolled her eyes. "Wha' a pansy. If 'e finks gettin' some jewelry outta the water is 'ard-"

"Did you miss the part about the well?" Jelly was finding it extremely difficult now to be patient. "Look, Teaze, if you're going to quibble over every line in the script then maybe I should find someone else to practice with. Besides, I thought you liked this story."

"Oi do!" Teazer protested. "Iss jus' that Oi've nevah undahstood whoy iss so 'ard to get a ring outta a well. 'Asn't 'e 'eard of a fishin' rod?"

But at this point, their argument was interrupted by the rather conspicuous approach of Parfax and Oopsacat. The two little toms fairly strutted across the clearing toward the formerly disputing duo, who now watched them with perplexed interest.

"So haven't you got a date for Sunday yet, old chum?" Parfax enquired of his companion in certain plummy tones, rather loudly.

"Par, don't play gentletom with me, I just don't feel like it," replied Oopsa in a somewhat overacted, downcast voice.

"Well you'd better get a move on, hadn't you?" Par waved his arms expansively. "I mean, we've only got five days left-"

"_You _haven't got a date either," Oops cut in, exasperated with just a hint of exaggeration about it, "so I wouldn't be taaaaaaAAGHH!" This was the hammiest bit yet, as he had proceeded to stumble over his own foot and roll end over end for the remaining few feet between himself and his target- landing in prime position under the nose of a stunned (but also amused) Rumpleteazer. The creamy blond tom-kit stifled genuine laughter as his blue-gray pal blinked up into Rumple's brown eyes.

"Um- need any 'elp theah?" the patched princess asked of the tom who had landed in such an excessively ignominious manner before her. She attempted, fairly successfully, to smother her giggles by promptly shutting her mouth tight in a comically wide close-lipped smile.

"Why yes," he replied, blinking yellow eyes up at her in what he evidently thought was an endearing way. "Would you help me out ever so slightly by coming with me to the Jellicle Ball this Sunday?" There was a bit of a pause. Seeing that his intended date seemed to be at a loss for words, Oopsa continued. "I am, as Parfax pointed out, sadly in lack of a partner for the occasion and-"

But he did not finish, for Rumpleteazer had broken out in a splutter of laughter and was now grinning from ear to ear. "Enough wiv the speeches, Oops," she chuckled, shaking her head. "Ya could've jus' asked... but since ya went to awl tha' trouble, I really 'ave to siy yes t'ya now." Still giggling a bit, she reached down and pulled him the right way up; the blue-gray tom was now matching her grin with one of his own. He fairly bounced the rest of the way onto his paws.

"Thanks so much, Rumple," he said earnestly, hopped forward a little and kissed her cheek to the surprise of all, not least kisser and kissee. Elated further by his own impulsive gesture, Oopsacat all but bounded off the way he'd come, calling, "See you tomorrow then! We'll hang out!" And Parfax scrambled after him.

**[End flashback: **_**chung!**_**] **

Admetus and Alonzo were left staring at the beaming Oopsacat, who was blissfully unaware of just how ridiculous he sounded. Even so, the former pair found themselves grinning at such a silly tale- and surprised that the venture had ended in success rather than failure.

"Well, Oops," Admetus finally broke the silence, "think you could teach me that trick?"

"What, how to trip on target?"

"No," Alonzo broke in, "how to get a date." Ignoring the attempted protests of the tan tom, he went on, "He's also 'sadly in lack of a partner for the evening-'"

"Oh, that's Par's forte," Oopsa said seriously, "if it's the language you mean. Really, if you combine speech with action the right way, you can- ah-" He turned to the creamy blond beside him. "What was it you said, Par?"

"The right line at the right time," Parfax began, "gives you a chance and-"

At that moment the third blur of the day sped up to the group and resolved itself into not another tom-kit, but a princess. All four toms' jaws fell slightly open upon registering who this was.

"…Bomba?" Parfax managed, the only one who remained articulate. "What are you-"

He was interrupted by a throat-clearing from the junkyard's single scarlet queen-to-be. "So sorry, boys, but I haven't got time for a lengthy conversation." Bombalurina's voice was still more than a little cracked. She coughed again and continued, "Anyone not got a date yet?" Met with utter silence, she sighed and pulled herself together. "That is," she added with a hint of purr, "which of you boys are still open for escort on Sunday night?"

Again silence, but this was a shorter one, as Parfax and Admetus each raised a paw. Bomba scrutinized them both, not sure which was the better choice. Finally deciding on certain virility, she turned to Admetus. "Pick me up at eight?" Hardly waiting for his trembling nod, a wave of flirtiness took over her in relief. "See you then, sheik." And she slunk away, restored to full Bomba sensuousness. The rep was secured.

Alonzo, Parfax and Oopsa turned to Admetus in amazement. Incredulity was written on all three of their faces. Admetus himself, stunned by his luck, simply fell onto his back and passed out.

* * *

What Parfax and Oopsacat had not seen the previous afternoon as they peeled off in high spirits was that Rumpleteazer and Jellylorum, after watching them go, looked at each other and fell into gut-clutching fits of laughter at the absurdity of the whole thing.

"Was there ever so rehearsed an invitation?" Jelly gasped.

"Were there evah such a crazy pair o' toms?" Rumple guffawed. At last regaining her breath, she sighed- still smiling, "Oh 'e's a card, that Oopsa…"

"Doth mine ears detect affection for the young lad?" Jelly fell into the 'Tabby Knight' speech pattern.

"Thoine eahs detec' nothin," Rumpleteazer automatically responded, but added with an elfish grin, "yet…"


	10. The Mystics Make their Matches side A

**A/N: I'm sorry you guys. Really, really sorry. For months on end there I was subject to severe writer's block, till I finally decided to put this away for a while. But now that my hope has been restored with a new reviewer (HINT HINT), and I am feeling refreshed and particularly inspired, I returned to this fic. Tada: a new chapter for you all! Enjoy, and please review! **

_I really am melodramatic_, Rosemarine thought glumly, not really seeing anything or anyone as she passed right through the junkyard clearing. Her vision was, in point of fact, actually swimming quite a bit despite the still-successful effort she was making not to cry. Lost in feline adolescent depression, she naturally did not notice the black and white calico tom slip down from some unseen perch to follow her in her numb wandering.

On and on plodded the tawny princess, with her increasingly concerned follower at a discreet distance behind. On and on, long since out of the junkyard, through the byways of the quiet village, nearly a mile out in the surrounding countryside… and steadily approaching a hedge from whence a distinct roar could be heard at intervals.

_Well, there is something to be said for melodrama… _Rose blindly kept putting one foot in front of the other, deaf to anything around her, and not really paying attention as she squeezed through the bush that was suddenly in her way. _At least it allows you to have out your feelings. With no one to say how silly you're being- _

_NO!!! _

The mental voice was not hers. Neither, she realized with a shock, was it her decision to go tumbling end over end back the way she'd come. As Rose blinked her startled blue eyes, the world came back into focus to reveal a most curious sight- that of a calico tom's panicked face directly above her, leaves behind his head. Seconds later, a monstrous roar went whizzing by. Haltingly, more coherent thoughts began to return to her. This was Coricopat- and the noise she'd just heard was…a human's car?

* * *

_I really am melodramatic… _

Coricopat had been in a doze for most of the morning, until he heard that dwelled-on mental voice as more than just a memory. His blue-eyed ingenue, as Tantomile had taken (most provokingly) to calling her- Rosemarine. He poked his head out of the flap of an old curtain that covered the entrance to the twins' den, just in time to see the tawny princess go by. She was walking as if in a trance; though several Jellicles attempted to ask what was wrong, she seemed not to see or hear them. He could feel wordless sadness radiating from her. Something was most definitely wrong, and Cori was sure that he knew what. Without stopping to think he slid out of the door-flap and began silently to trail her. _In such a state of distress- there's no telling where she might go before she comes out of it. _

Farther and farther wandered the object of his steadily growing attraction, faithfully tailed in every step by an increasingly concerned Cori. He was certain now that Rosemarine was just walking to keep walking, unwilling to face her disappointment and rejection within the sight of any others of their tribe. And as they left not only the bounds of the junkyard but the town as well, Coricopat began to fear that his… crush, as he supposed it was accurate to term the attachment, was willfully abandoning all rational thought. For Heaviside's sake, they were nearing the humans' main thoroughfare! Surely Rose couldn't be that far gone-

_Well, there is something to be said for melodrama. At least it allows you to have your feelings out. _

Okay, so not _all _rational thought. Coricopat allowed himself that relief- and quickly gave way to utter horror. She was going under the hedge!

_NO!!! _

The calico tom put on speed he never knew he had. In a few bounds he was right behind her, clear through the hedge, and pounced- rolling backwards with her safe in his paws to land under the leaves again moments before the speeding machine reached the spot where she had once been.

Rosemarine- safe. If only just in time.

Those beautiful blue eyes blinked back up at him. He could feel the sadness dissipating in the face of puzzlement as Rosemarine realized where she was- and who was with her. She was about to speak, but he burst out before she could. "Are you quietly out of your mind?"

She shook her head as if clearing water from her ears. "What?"

Swiftly realizing the compromising appearance of such a position, Coricopat moved to allow her to sit up so that they were merely beside each other. Not, however, without a good venting of his spleen as he did so. "I realize that the rejection you must have received would be a crushing blow, but to wander out here in such danger- How much is this tom actually worth to you, that you would lose all sense of the world around you? And why in the name of the Everlasting Cat would you nearly take yourself away from m- from all of us forever?" He paused for breath.

The blue eyes that stared at him seemed to be much less dazed now. "Cori, how did you know- And how did you get here so fast?"

"You were moving unaware of where you were going in a near catatonic state of wholly unnecessary angst!" the black and white calico fumed.

"Unnecessary?" Now there was a spark of indignation in Rosemarine's eyes. "Munkustrap is the one tom I would ever dream of and he turned me down! Of course I feel angst, or whatever you want to call it! You call that unnecessary?!"

"But any Jellicle with fully functioning eyes can see that he's head over heels for Demeter, and they're happy that way! Why is it always like this?"

"What do you mean always like this, and why were you following me?"

"Following you? Did I mention the state of near catatonia? I was trying to make sure you didn't hurt yourself, and you almost got killed!"

"You still didn't explain what you meant about 'always like that'! Or what 'it' is anyway!"

"Princesses!" Coricopat exploded. "The whole generation of adolescent Jellicles! With their obsessive fixations on members of the opposite gender who are perfectly happy with another than themselves, when if they'd only look around they'd see that there's someone who-"

"Someone who what?" In the face of a near-death experience, Rosemarine was quickly revealing quite a bit of spine. "Someone who stalks them in every mental move? Who offers _unnecessary _romantic advice?"

"You asked me for that-"

"Someone who saves a kit's life and then proceeds to blow up in their face? _Someone who what, Coricopat?" _Rosemarine demanded.

"Someone who cares about them too!" Cori cried in furious plot-advancing abandon.

This brought the conversation (or should I say, post-traumatic stress explosion) to a crashing halt. Coricopat found himself experiencing in rapid succession several emotions he'd only ever watched from a distance: shock at the vital fact he'd just unthinkingly blurted out, embarrassment over the same, and a growing sense of longing for the ground to simply open and swallow him conveniently up. Somewhere in the vast distance he was aware of heat erupting over his cheeks so that the white patches thereon now appeared to be a violent shade of electric fuchsia. _I always thought it was absurd to overreact to something one said like this, _he thought vaguely. _So histrionic... so overemotional. Always thought it was- _

_Unnecessary? _

Cori looked up to see a very arch smile on the face of… his princess. _Why even attempt to deny it now… _One might even call that expression a smirk.

* * *

Back in the junkyard clearing, the gossip circle had suddenly grown very much louder. It had been temporarily stunned into silence by the reemergence of Rosemarine, true; but within minutes of her passing, Jellylorum, Rumpleteazer and Pussywillow had turned in eerie unison to Gossamew and burst out with questions. (Demeter, thank the Heaviside, had excused herself to practice with Bombalurina.)

"Ok Goss, that's it. What's going on?" Pussy all but demanded.

"Yeah, wha' was tha' all about?" Rumple chimed in, almost clipping off the end of Pussy's sentence. "Firs' Rose goes off under the tiah, leadin' Munku, who after goin' around loike a madcat all mornin' jus' trots after 'er no questions asked. Foive minutes latah she comes back lookin' loike death warmed ovah, tossed back in the freezah an' then inexpertly thawed. An' 'oo goes after 'er? Coricopat! Now 'ow d'you essplain tha', Gossy?"

"Keep it down, you two!" Jellylorum shushed them, then turned to Gossamew herself and asked in the same breath: "Really Gossamew, if you know anything about all this…"

"Okay, okay, okay!" Goss held up her paws as much in self-defense as to quiet the onslaught- they were all three getting way too close. "Calm down, will you? I surrender. Really."

The trio sat back solemnly. Three sets of eyes- two brown pairs, one yellow- gazed at her in silent expectation. They almost radiated the demand: _talk_. More than a little creeped out by the pressure, Goss took a deep breath and did what she did best.

"Rosemarine's been acting odd for days, and I finally found out why yesterday: she likes Munkustrap, has for a really long time- no questions till I finish!" (for Rumpleteazer had started to ask one, but sat back reluctantly at the rebuke.) "No, I didn't know either, you guys know I can be a bit oblivious, and anyway she seems to have hid it really well considering that you all look as surprised as I was. We decided that today we'd both talk to our crushes- she'd tell Munku how she feels, and I'd ask Misto to the Ball, and so would she- ask Munku that is, not Misto. Practiced and everything. This morning I found Misto, we practiced our dances, I asked him, he said yes- save the congratulations too!" (for Jellylorum had broken into a congratulatory smile, but at being cut off sat back slightly hurt.) "Sorry, I have to get on with this. So he says yes, we practice a bit more, then I come back to meet you guys and run into Pussy on the way. That's when Rose went to go talk to Munkustrap, which we all saw, and considering how she looked just now, I don't think it went well. And that's pretty much all I know about what's going on."

There was a pause as the auburn princess caught her breath, and her audience digested all she had just said. But alas, the silence could not last.

"She likes Munku?" Rumple let out the question she had been forced to repress, adding, "But didn' she know abou' Demetah?"

"That's wonderful that Mistoffelees said he would go with you, Goss," said Jelly, though privately she was still a little miffed at having had to still that thought.

"Thanks Jelly," said Gossamew to the second, and "Yes well…she sort of knew, but I think she was in denial about it," to the first. Then, to both, "And I'm sorry I cut you guys off. Flow of the story and all." Both calico queen and patchy princess smiled at that.

"That's all right," said the one, and "Apology accepted," said the other.

"But seriously…" Pussywillow spoke up at last. "What was with Mystery Tom following Rosie out of the clearing?"

"Hey, yeah," Rumple frowned in puzzlement as she recalled that little detail. "Why would 'e do tha'? Thought the Thinkers didn' pay attention to anyone bu' themselves."

"Rumple!" Jelly chided.

"Sorry," Teazer replied, not looking sorry in the least, "bu' really, Jell, ya gotta admit it doesn' make sense."

"No, it doesn't a bit." Pussy's memory was working rapidly trying to come up with evidence for such an occurrence, but nothing turned up. "I haven't ever seen or heard anything to support that... odd look in his eyes."

"'E always 'as an odd look in 'is oys," Teaze pointed out.

"I know," Pussy returned with slight irritation, "but it was a different look, one I've never seen him wear before. Almost like…like…" She paused, searching for a word, but gave up.

"Like what?" a cool voice came from behind them. The four jumped.

"Tanto!" Puss' cheeks went that odd shade of brown in surprise and more than a little embarrassment. "How…eh…nice to see you."

If the black-and-white calico knew that the group had just been discussing her brother, she gave nothing away. No trace of reproach lurked in her face. Her voice was quite light as she asked, "Have any of you seen Coricopat today?"

Further silence ensued. Rumple started to blurt, "'E wen' tha'-" but she was cut off by an elbow from Jellylorum. However, this didn't seem to deter the gray-eyed princess in the least.

"No? Ah, such a shame. If you do see him, please tell him his sister wishes to speak with him. We have… rather personal matters to discuss." And with that Tantomile continued on her way, unruffled as ever. Not one of the four spoke until she was well out of sight, and even then not for another five minutes. At last Gossamew broke the silence.

"Well. If it helps any, Rose did tell me that Cori had figured out her problem. Suggested she tell Munku how she felt, actually…"

And the gossip circle erupted again in full force.

* * *

**A/N: So there we are. Continuity errors? Advice? Bits you found funny, or particularly good? Just press that little button down there and let me know! **

* * *


	11. Could It Be A Real Moment?

_Simultaneous with the last scene…_

"Well, here I am," Demeter announced as she poked her head round one of the three ancient wooden casks that marked the little spot where she and Bombalurina daily rehearsed their number. An impatient Bomba perked up at once upon seeing her friend's arrival.

"Oh _there _you are!" The scarlet kit jumped to her paws. "Come on. You know the drill." And she struck an opening pose, surreptitiously waving Deme over to her post.

_I don't know why I'm always the Jellicle 'boom box,'_ Deme frowned to herself. But the thought scurried obligingly out of sight as the tune of "Fever" hurried forward. The little black-and-gold concentrated a moment, found the rhythm and began tapping it out on an old coffee tin. As she did so, Bombalurina went into performance mode and slid out of her pose to begin.

"_Never know how much I love you,  
Never know how much I care..._"

Demeter tried not to be embarrassed. Bomba was great at what she did, but definitely distracting when trying to concentrate on one's own imminent choreography. _I wouldn't be doing this if she wasn't my best friend, _she reminded herself. –Oh, fleas, her verse!

As the music played on, a monochrome tabby made his way southwesterly across the 'yard, mind aspin with the urgency of the task at hand. Rose's question had sealed the deal. As he'd emerged from beneath the great tire, a black-and-gold tail had vanished over the edge of the clearing in this direction. If he followed in as straight a line as possible, Munkustrap hoped, he would eventually discover where his crush had gone and be able to…er…Oh, he knew what he was doing. _I hope_.

Sweating marbles beneath his fur, Munku reflected on what had just happened. _I can't believe she kept it a secret all this time,_ he thought. He knew how she felt, certainly- and he'd hated to turn her down. But Deme was more to him than any of the other princesses. And Rose had seemed to understand, though he hadn't said a thing.

His inner cynic took the opportunity to pounce. _Understand? You idiot, _it scolded him. _'You…you do?' She puts her heart at your feet and you come up with _that_?!? 'I…wow.' Wow, all right. You couldn't let a cockroach down more lamely than that. _

_Well at least I didn't throw it back in her face, _Munku protested. _I wasn't rude, was I? Just surprised! And that confession came out of nowhere! You know how I-_

_Yeah, I know, _the cynic sneered. _I know that you win points with princesses out of sheer dumb luck. They like the noble, bashful-twit thing. Well, that's not going to work forever. You better open your eyes a little wider, kit. _

_Oh shut up! _Munkustrap snapped, finally losing his temper. _I'm nervous enough as it is!_

And with that, he promptly pulled an Oopsacat, falling tail over ears as a stray pipe rolled away under his paw.

_Told you,_ said the inner cynic with a smirk, and retreated to a corner in the back of his mind in high satisfaction as the little tabby sat where he'd landed, downcast and sore.

Irked, a more positive voice ran to try and repair the cynic's damage. _Come on, get up, _it told him. _You're not that far away, and you can do this. _Sure enough, a snatch of that familiar tune was floating towards him now. Munku stood up, took a deep breath and hurried the sound.

On the second run of the song, Bomba was heading into the bridge. "_Ev'rybody's got the fever,/That is something you all know._" She arched her brows and batted her lashes at an imaginary audience of mesmerized toms. To her right, Deme slunk as she only could for Bomba's sake. _"Fever isn't such a new thing-/Fever started long ago."_

Right in the gap between bridge and verse, a silver-and-black head looked cautiously over the topmost cask. At what it saw, the widening eyes ducked out of sight again. Bomba noticed, and a new light of mischief came into her eyes. She turned to Demeter and, as they crossed each other to opposite sides of the 'stage,' gave her a quick order- "Kick it up a notch."

"Again?"

"Yes, again. You have to do this dance like you mean it, 'Meter, or it won't work. We're a pair of irresistible queens who-"

"Okay, okay," the black-and-gold interrupted, turning faintly copper. Oh, the things she did for this princess. On she went, quickly making up for the cue missed in that brief note. "_When he put his arms around her,/ He said 'Julie, baby, you're my flame. Thou givest fever!" _

Munku too was blushing, but not faintly. His face, even to his ears, burned the brightest magenta. He considered slinking off a ways till the song ended, but… _No. I am waiting right here till it's over, and then I am poking in my head and asking to talk to Deme. _

In an ill-advised attempt to master his shyness, the little tabby took another peek. Bombalurina had the floor, whilst his own brown-eyed crush snapped out the rhythm. And- _great Rumpus Cat- _yes, the scarlet queen-to-be was looking right at him. Most cheekily.

"_Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas/Had a very mad affair. /When her daddy tried to kill him, /She said, 'Daddy, oh, don't you dare! He gives me fever…/With his kisses, /Fever when he holds me tight_…"

As she sang, Bomba's repressed giggles reached fever pitch. Her eyebrow-arcs and pointed glances from Deme to the flushed tom-kit and back were having exactly the desired effect. Satisfied, she stepped to her right as her best friend came forward again to join her for the final verse of the song.

Munkustrap had become a full-on furnace of embarrassment, in more ways than one. The last lines floated over the barrier of wood and metal bands, and he willed himself to calm down. _Okay, song's over. You are standing up, straightening up, and going in there in five…four…three…two……Two and a half… _He was taking deep and nearly silent breaths- trying to keep from hyperventilating. _Two and three-quarters… _Gulp. He could do this. Yes, he could. Yes…

_ONE, _the encouraging voice and cynic chanted together. _Come on, Munku! _

"Okay, your solos are fine, dance and vocals," Bomba began enthusiastically. "And you're getting up there with the 'meaning it' part. But on the step-clicks-"

There was a polite cough. "Ahem..."

The two princesses looked up to see a still slightly-pink, black/white/silver tabby standing at the edge of their practice spot, tugging at his collar. Demeter immediately turned bright copper. "Um...hi."

"Why _Munku_!" Bomba exclaimed, in utterly feigned surprise. "How did you find us?"

"I, um… just followed my ears," he answered, very much aware how silly that sounded. "Sorry to interrupt, but could I borrow Demeter for a second?"

The scarlet princess' eyes lit up with excitement, but her voice remained casual. "Sure. I'll just wander off for a few minutes, is that okay Deme?" Seeing that the black-and-gold was apparently stunned into silence, she went on. "All right then, back in a bit." With a wink, she disappeared, leaving the shyest pair in the 'yard simply staring at each other.

"Erm…So. How's the routine going?" Munku heartily agreed with the cynic- this was an idiotic opening remark. But for the life of him there was nothing else to say, with all the tension in the air.

"It's…er…fine. Yes." Deme was going to spontaneously combust in a second, if she didn't… "You weren't watching or anything were you?"

"No, no. Oh catnip no."

"Well…That's good then. It's a surprise, you know."

"I know…" Pause. They both coughed awkwardly, then looked at each other in dazed amazement. Then laughed. Within seconds of each other.

_Enough of this nonsense!_ the inner cynic scolded him.

"So, well…listen, I wanted to ask you something…"

"Go ahead." Demeter's heartbeat broke records in her chest.

The little tom squared his shoulders and blurted out- "Wangoballwime?"

Demy's heart stumbled over the pebble of confusion, stopped momentarily, and began again. "…I'm sorry, what?"

"D'youwannag-g-" Munku gave up. _I'm done for. Flea-bitten stutter out of nowhere… _All of a sudden, a small sound broke the silence. -And again. What was that? He looked up to see a most discouraging sight….

A muscle twitching at the corner of 'Meter's mouth. A spark of mirth in her eyes. Oh damn, he was laughable. This could not stand! He had to make one more bid. "Demeter, do you want to-"

She broke out laughing. It had happened! He had asked her! Relief poured out of the black-and-gold princess' mouth in peals of joy. The flow slowed considerably, however, when she saw the look in his light blue eyes. The tabby started to turn away, but she grabbed his paw. "Where are you going?"

"Please, Deme. You obviously don't want to go, so I-"

"But I do want to go with you!" Demeter sputtered, in a last burst of giggles. She ran round to face him. "Come on, Munku. Why would I say no now?"

Munkustrap looked thoroughly confused. "But you- you're laughing. Why are you laughing?"

She smiled, dazzling. "Because I'm happy, you silly tom." Then, more quietly: "I'm glad. I'm dang ecstatic. Munku…I am absolutely thrilled that you just asked to dance with me."

A haze of bliss spread over the tabby tom-kit's head. He had done it. And everything was fine. _She said yes…Yes! _Aloud, he only said softly, "Sunday then?"

Those brown eyes nodded eagerly back at him. "Sunday."

* * *

Meanwhile, those in the junkyard clearing became a unified, stunned expression adorned with scattered whispers as a black-&-white calico tom and beaming rose/coffee-marked princess entered serenely side by side. Words passed between them, or must have, but even those closest couldn't catch a sound. They parted, amicably, and the tom vanished on unknown purposes.

In a cloud of happiness, Rosemarine practically glided over to Gossamew and the others, pirouetting to a stop. "Ask me how I feel," she said breathlessly, hopping from foot to foot, unable to keep still.

The circle gazed at her in unadulterated amazement. No one said a word.

"Go on, ask me!" Rose laughed. "Ask me how I feel!"

Still, not a sound. Rose quickstepped around them all and stopped once more, expectant. Unnoticed, a certain dark-chocolate form had made its way over and now stopped as well just behind the jubilant young princess. Just as Rosie opened her mouth again, someone spoke for her.

"Like you have to go to the bathroom?" Cassandra supplied.

Amid the startled giggles, Rosemarine turned around and without missing a beat, hugged the sarcastic princess right around her middle. "Cassandra, haven't you ever been as happy as I am?" She didn't wait for a reply (and wouldn't have gotten one anyway; for once in her life, the Burmese was without a retort). "I've got my date and- and- I can't wait for Sunday!" With that, she ran off over the great tire out of sheer exuberance. Jellylorum, Gossamew, Rumpleteazer and Pussywillow stared after her for the second time that morning, then slowly turned to each other.

"What," Pussy began, "was that all about?"

"Does it matter?" Jelly was beginning to smile. "That's the happiest I've seen Rose in ages."

Gossamew jumped to her paws. "Well, I'm going to find out why." She bounded away after her friend, curiosity and gladness whirling in her mind so fast it was impossible to say who was leading. The remaining three broke up the circle quickly, as more private reflection was clearly called for, and the session thus came to an end.

Cassandra, who had stood temporarily frozen, now defrosted with a snap of the spine. She spoke three words before practically vanishing in a cloud of smoke: "That…was scary."

**A/N: Back from the dead. My laziness and writer's block cannot be excused. I have surely lost some readers. But if you still care, even after all this time... a review is the way to let me know your thoughts.**


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